Front Lounge bar in Dublin to change it's "direction"

ongarboy

http://theoutmost.com/top-story/end-era-front-lounge/

To be honest, I thought this change happened a couple of years back when they did the upgrade. I noticed back then that the gay element was dropped from marketing and any literature associated with the Front Lounge when they did the revamp and started serving food. The only results of that upgrade was that I saw a 90% drop in trade as the bar became deserted on weeknights and only moderately busy on Fridays and Saturdays. I'll miss it more for nostalgia reasons as when I first started going there back in the early 2000s, it was the place to go, mobbed almost every night as well as SaturdaySunday afternoons. April Showers karaoke on Tuesday nights were fun too.

Has Grindr really killed the gay scene?

JupiterKid

Very disappointing to hear if true.:(

It s not like there are plenty of other gay venues to choose from. In a city of 1.5 million there is just the George and Pantibar. Pathetic. Any other city of similar size in Western Europe has at least 3 or 4 gay bars.

Why does Dublin have so few? It's ridiculous. But it's not just the gay scene, the whole bar/nightclub scene in Dublin seems to have been in a sort of decline for a long time now. In the early 00s it was at its zenith but it seems a good bit smaller now.

Annasopra

ongarboy wrote: »

Has Grindr really killed the gay scene?

I think the scene is changing due to the likes of grindr but also changes in attitudes where general bars are more diverse and inclusive of LGBT people then they were before.

I always disliked the front lounge management atttitude tbh - They never really embraced their LGBT customers and often treated us disdainfully. I used to distribute free condom packs for sexual health groups in pubs and clubs - The front loung wouldn't let the group in "because it wasnt a gay bar"

JupiterKid

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

I always disliked the front lounge management atttitude tbh - They never really embraced their LGBT customers and often treated us disdainfully. I used to distribute free condom packs for sexual health groups in pubs and clubs - The front loung wouldn't let the group in "because it wasnt a gay bar"

Yep, I always got that vibe from the FL. I mean, the back part was pretty much 90% LGBT for a long time. Eager to take the pink euro but unwilling to acknowledge our support or custom. They treated us with contempt. Plus the jacks were pretty disgusting! Shame.

Keehar

This sucks. Front Lounge is the only gay bar in Dublin that I like.

L1011

I thought it had basically withered away after the murder - was expecting it to close at any stage after that.

newacc2015

JupiterKid wrote: »

It s not like there are plenty of other gay venues to choose from. In a city of 1.5 million there is just the George and Pantibar. Pathetic. Any other city of similar size in Western Europe has at least 3 or 4 gay bars.

Why does Dublin have so few? It's ridiculous. But it's not just the gay scene, the whole bar/nightclub scene in Dublin seems to have been in a sort of decline for a long time now. In the early 00s it was at its zenith but it seems a good bit smaller now.

Gay bars arent really a thing in German speaking countries either. Gay bars arent popular in Dublin as it is a liberal city, where you can do whatever you want in most 'straight' bars or clubs without an issue. A lot of younger guys would just go Pyg, Workmans or any other club night in Dublin. There is also the fact club nights like Mother and Prhomo are taking away business from gay bars

The recession didnt help, you had tens of thousands of young people leaving Ireland. The George has a real lack of 25-35 year old guys, as a lot have moved abroad.

Younger guys don't see the appeal in the George over say Pyg or Workmans. It has little to do with Grindr, but the fact Dublin is more liberal.

J_E

newacc2015 wrote: »

Gay bars arent really a thing in German speaking countries either. Gay bars arent popular in Dublin as it is a liberal city, where you can do whatever you want in most 'straight' bars or clubs without an issue. A lot of younger guys would just go Pyg, Workmans or any other club night in Dublin. There is also the fact club nights like Mother and Prhomo are taking away business from gay bars

But they're less common gay nights. I don't really think they're comparable to establishments.

Dublin being liberal has little to do with gay bars declining - if anything, it means they are more popular. Pantibar is packed out on an average weekend night.

as it is a liberal city, where you can do whatever you want in most 'straight' bars or clubs without an issue

Absolutely not the case!

L1011

You would imagine a county with a tad over 1000 pubs would have more than 2 gay bars if they were still as relevant as they were. They simply aren't.

JupiterKid

Dublin may be more liberal, but it's far from a very liberal city as Western Countries go. There simply are far too few gay bars for a city of its size. It's a joke!

As for regular bars being more accepting, try snogging your OH in your average city centre bar and see what sort of reaction you'll get. Indifference at best, aggression at worst.

newacc2015

JupiterKid wrote: »

Dublin may be more liberal, but it's far from a very liberal city as Western Countries go. There simply are far too few gay bars for a city of its size. It's a joke!

As for regular bars being more accepting, try snogging your OH in your average city centre bar and see what sort of reaction you'll get. Indifference at best, aggression at worst.

Have you ever been to Germany or Denmark? They are considered very liberal, which both would have few bars in most cities as gay people would tend to go to straight clubs. If your hypothesis is Dublin is conservative and that is why there is no gay bars. Explain to me when Ireland was smaller and more conservative that we had more gay bars? Because it is probably the case as a country gets more liberal, gay bars are not used as much eg like in LA.

Dublin is on par with any very liberal city. You can pretty much do whatever you like in Dublin and no one cares. What exactly is conservative about Dublin?

I have made out with countless guys in various bars in Dublin and no one has cared in the slightest. You will see gay couples kissing all over Dublin 2 on a Friday/Saturday and no one cares.

I have many gay friends outside of Ireland. When I travel with them abroad there seems to be no end of gay or gay friendly bars, clubs and even restaurants. A few countries would have a very small scene and in some countries the gay scene is completely hidden.
When my friends come to Ireland, they are surprised at the lack of gay bars etc given the population size. However they still have a great time as tourists and don't seem to have too difficult a time becoming friendly with the locals.
Compared to lots of other countries which are quite liberal minded, Ireland could do a lot more to get the LGBT community out socially and away from apps like Grindr. There is a great opportunity to attract LGBT tourism to Ireland as well but this is more of a missed opportunity.

Keehar

http://theoutmost.com/news/welcome-lgbt-community-says-front-lounge-new-owners/?platform=hootsuite

Yay

JupiterKid

newacc2015 wrote: »

Have you ever been to Germany or Denmark? They are considered very liberal, which both would have few bars in most cities as gay people would tend to go to straight clubs. If your hypothesis is Dublin is conservative and that is why there is no gay bars. Explain to me when Ireland was smaller and more conservative that we had more gay bars? Because it is probably the case as a country gets more liberal, gay bars are not used as much eg like in LA.

Dublin is on par with any very liberal city. You can pretty much do whatever you like in Dublin and no one cares. What exactly is conservative about Dublin?

I have made out with countless guys in various bars in Dublin and no one has cared in the slightest. You will see gay couples kissing all over Dublin 2 on a Friday/Saturday and no one cares.

I never said that Dublin was conservative. It's just not as liberal as some people make it out to be. And yes, I've been to Germany many times and Denmark as couple of times and in the cities I've been in there are several gay bars.

Dublin having just two is just not good enough IMO.

gazzer

JupiterKid wrote: »

I never said that Dublin was conservative. It's just not as liberal as some people make it out to be. And yes, I've been to Germany many times and Denmark as couple of times and in the cities I've been in there are several gay bars.

Dublin having just two is just not good enough IMO.

I agree. I know there are a fair few gay club nights in Dublin but I find it weird that there are only 2 dedicated gay bars in Irelands capital city.

I was in Copenhagen last year and over the course of a weekend I was in 6 different gay bars. In Lisbon there are about 8 (probably more). I was in Stuttgart a few months back and there was around 5 bars.

When I am in the George I often get asked by visitors what other bars there are to go to and they are usually shocked when I tell them there are only 2 gay bars in Dublin

baby and crumble

The simple fact of the matter is unless people actually go to these bars and spend money in them, they won't survive.

It's why so many lesbian bars in the US are failing and shutting down, because they are simply not making enough money to survive.

Whilst you would think that Dublin is "big enough" population wise to support more than 2 dedicated gay bars, it obviously isn't.

I know I've been in a gay bar maybe twice this year.

david75

People have tried to open new gay bars and clubs and have failed. Nobody remembers Wilde?

Als the fact that the after party scene and the house party scene have really become the thing for not just the younger crowd but all age brackets.


The George doesn't speak to a lot of gay guys much the same way pantibar doesn't to a lot of other guys (pantibear ive heard it called).

If someone got the cash together and opened a dedicated gay bar that somehow appealed to non scene guys who don't like dance music or drag queens etc it still has a massive uphill struggle. Location especially. And even if you pitch it to all sub groups under the gay umbrella either one group sorta takes hold of it or it gets a trickle of all for a while before everyone loses interest and it's forced to close.

So much harder than you think opening a gay bar in Dublin.

Ash885

Tbh I felt very much out of my comfort zone in that bar. Which is probably down to me and not management but I still had a few qualms. The layout down the back is also pretty dire (try getting past the bar on a Saturday...) There's just so many bottlenecks that if it were anyway busy it would be stifling.

And as the article pointed out, the back always seemed like a hotel reception area. So I don't think Grindr is not at fault, if a bar isn't well equipped people go regardless of it being gay or not.

And numbers are so up and down. Few Friday evenings there was more staff on duty than customers for a good few hours. So if the girls manage to revamp it (without it being exclusively gay) then that's grand with me. It is a bit disappointing the flag will be moved to the back now but sure, can't have it every way...

Annasopra

It's not just a Dublin thing that gay bars are disappearing though

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-33608000

http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2016/5/24/26-dead-or-dying-gay-bars-nyc-la-sf

wakka12

L1011 wrote: »

You would imagine a county with a tad over 1000 pubs would have more than 2 gay bars if they were still as relevant as they were. They simply aren't.

there arent 1000 pubs in dublin. 750 in dublin county as of august 2015. But your point still stands

david75

I kinda think that 'the scene' in most places is dying because we've reached a place of acceptance and equality.

It doesn't mean we don't need gay bars but the notion that we only can or have to go to gay bars cos we're gay seems to have died or is dying.

L1011

wakka12 wrote: »

there arent 1000 pubs in dublin. 750 in dublin county as of august 2015. But your point still stands

1015+ as of now. Don't trust the revenue spreadsheet on its own - renewals are all it shows, and those are vastly weighted towards year end. That figure doesn't include gaa clubs or similar that could have significant trade.

MidnightMurphy

The Front Lounge still seemed pretty gay to me when I was there last weekend and the new owners have issued a statement op say the gay clientele is very welcome.

So along with the George (2 bars); Pantibar, Duiblin still has the Front Lounge (and although Nealons is not 'officially ' a gay bar, have you ever been in there.

Gay bars in Amsterdam are dying out - I was over there recently and they are nearly  all closed now.

wakka12

MidnightMurphy wrote: »

The Front Lounge still seemed pretty gay to me when I was there last weekend and the new owners have issued a statement op say the gay clientele is very welcome.

So along with the George (2 bars); Pantibar, Duiblin still has the Front Lounge (and although Nealons is not 'officially ' a gay bar, have you ever been in there.

Gay bars in Amsterdam are dying out - I was over there recently and they are nearly  all closed now.

Yes I agree completely !also Barcelona, I don't know if their gay scene was very good ever but I was there recently and I seeing as its known as being gay friendly and liberal I assumed it'd have a great gay night life scene. but there were few if any gay bars , we found a few listed as gay bars but they weren't proper gay bars and had as many straight couples in them as gay. But all the bars and clubs we went to were very accepting of gay people so its fine

Mr.Frame

I was in the Front Lounge (or Street 66 as its now called, the FL name has disappeared from the premises) last night and well I doubt if I will ever be back.
I actually liked the FL despite many on here criticizing it.I liked its lay out compared to the George or Pantibar.
However, when i walked in last night the front part was slightly different,the owners are "trying" to turn it into a "dive bar", few couches, old standard lamp, book library ect..
There are now doors at the top of the stairs as you enter the back lounge!

Not much of difference re lay out,except a few tables in the middle of the floor have now gone.

The bar (front and back) now sell only craft beers, which I HATE. I usually drink Guinness, nope , Guinness is gone.

It was quite noticeable the amount of "straight couples" in the back lounge, it looked odd, lol. But later when I ventured to the front of the bar there were definitely more straight couples and straight guys and girls.

So all in all a huge disappointment, both with the lack of proper beers (me guinness) and it has lost its appeal.
Sad really , I always liked the Front Lounge.

Larry SR

Disappointed to read this, always liked the FL.

pauliebdub

I was there at the weekend, really enjoyed it and can't remember the last time I saw it so busy. Great music and the love the direction they are taking the place.

feardeas

No sure what the new direction was meant to be but last night it was pretty much unchanged in terms of clientele. Nice sized crowd and fairly good music. Both sections were busy and a good vibe. To me it's still pretty much a lgbt bar with a relaxed enough vibe and space to think.

Ash885

What age range was there? I just remember it attracting an older crowd. Heard such great things about it though so want to check it out.

feardeas

Ash885 wrote:

What age range was there? I just remember it attracting an older crowd. Heard such great things about it though so want to check it out.

Fairly good mix, mid 20s upwards. Pretty much the usual kind of crowd.