New gay bar in Dublin

imme

Panti is opening a new gay bar in Dublin.

Panti was on rte radio's The Business show on Saturday discussing how she got into the bar business.

It is across the street from pantibar and is to be called Penny Lane.

Will there be business for a bar across the street from an existing gay bar.

L1011

Pantibar is rammed the majority of times I go past/in, and is quite profitable going on their public registered accounts. It makes more sense to have another venue near an existing venue than somewhere else.

What is interesting is that the premises its going in to has never been a bar at all; albeit there was one next door (opposite Pantibar) in to the late 1990s.


I would wonder if the new venture is one that doesn't involve Jay Bourke, who is/was heavily involved in Pantibar, and is disqualified as a director

AllForIt

Across the road from Panti Bar? Wasn't there one there already, a kinda bear pub that wasn't officially a gay bar but was anyway.

gmisk

AllForIt wrote: »

Across the road from Panti Bar? Wasn't there one there already, a kinda bear pub that wasn't officially a gay bar but was anyway.

Nealons?

Is it it going into where that new musashi has been going into for about the last 2 years?

L1011

Nealons is still there. No, its not going in to the potential Musashsi site which is nowhere near "across the road". Its going in here apparently.

The building to the right on Streetview is a replacement for an actual pub of old.

CosmicFool

Any indication when it's opening?

gmisk

L1011 wrote: »

Nealons is still there. No, its not going in to the potential Musashsi site which is nowhere near "across the road". Its going in here apparently.

The building to the right on Streetview is a replacement for an actual pub of old.

I never said that site (proposed musashi) was "across the road" I said Nealons was.....


Anyway would be nice to have a new gay venue in town.

ongarboy

CosmicFool wrote: »

Any indication when it's opening?

https://www.dublinlive.ie/whats-on/whats-on-news/panti-bliss-panti-bar-dublin-15634576

Less than two weeks time according to this article. A welcome addition to the scene and great that it's in the same area as Pantibar and Nealons. Definitely a gaybourhood emerging here!

cgcsb

Cant wait, somewhere new. I noticed new bar men in panti, perhaps training for the new place. The new barmen where Irish and friendly, so will be a welcome reprieve from the latino fetishism you have to tolerate in panti. The clustering effect in the area may also encourage further competition.

hotmail.com

They will have to make it different from Panti or else they'll just split the market so I'm excited to see what they do for it.

J_E

cgcsb wrote: »

Cant wait, somewhere new. I noticed new bar men in panti, perhaps training for the new place. The new barmen where Irish and friendly, so will be a welcome reprieve from the latino fetishism you have to tolerate in panti. The clustering effect in the area may also encourage further competition.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The current barmen aren't friendly? I'm getting mixed messages here.

cgcsb

J_E wrote: »

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The current barmen aren't friendly? I'm getting mixed messages here.

No they are not

JupiterKid

I’m not into the bar scene any more but Dublin and Ireland generally has a ridiculous dearth of gay bars so any new bar opening is very much to be welcomed.

cgcsb

JupiterKid wrote: »

I’m not into the bar scene any more but Dublin and Ireland generally has a ridiculous dearth of gay bars so any new bar opening is very much to be welcomed.

This is a phenomenon increasing across North Europe. You'll hardly find a full time gar bar in Norway now. I think there's 2 full time gay bars in all of Sweden and the Regional scene in Ireland, i.e. outside of Dublin is almost completely gone. Chambers in Cork is now the only Gay bar in the state located outside of Dublin 1 or 2. There's GASS on Saturdays in Galway which is every Sat I think. Cork has another gay night afaik.

Within Dublin the George(now a straight bar for tourists and working class girls under 25) is the only full time 'gay' club. Aside from that there's a reasonable selection in Dublin, if not in the form of full time gay bars.

Aside from the George you have:
Panti, Street 66, Neelons, The Mezz (Thursday - Saturday only, Fridays are 'sweatbox' 99% male dominant with male only dark room)
And a few parties:

Daddi@Tramline (male only, shares a bathroom with a straight club, which is hilarious at times seeing 18 y/o country lads out for 'the shift' washing their hands next to some oul lad wearing nothing but a leather harness, jock strap and faux police hat. No dark room here but there are 'dark booths' anything goes in here)

Profile@Voodoo and Bukakke@Neon(perhaps Café en Seine after refurbishment) (99% male dominant, If you're not latino or a bean queen, hardly worth your while going to either)

Geared@Fibbers (male only, If you're into leather daddies and fetishwear of other sorts)

In Belfast there's Kremlin/union street which if you are from the south and not rough as a badgers arse, you wont enjoy it, unless you are drunk. Maverick is a bit more high brow but sparsely inhabited.

gmisk

cgcsb wrote: »

No they are not

I have always found the barmen in Panti really friendly and very quick at throwing out the drink as well.

cgcsb

And very quick at throwing change at you if they mishear you and bring the wrong drink

Ash885

cgcsb wrote: »

This is a phenomenon increasing across North Europe. You'll hardly find a full time gar bar in Norway now. I think there's 2 full time gay bars in all of Sweden and the Regional scene in Ireland, i.e. outside of Dublin is almost completely gone. Chambers in Cork is now the only Gay bar in the state located outside of Dublin 1 or 2. There's GASS on Saturdays in Galway which is every Sat I think. Cork has another gay night afaik.

Within Dublin the George(now a straight bar for tourists and working class girls under 25) is the only full time 'gay' club. Aside from that there's a reasonable selection in Dublin, if not in the form of full time gay bars.

Aside from the George you have:
Panti, Street 66, Neelons, The Mezz (Thursday - Saturday only, Fridays are 'sweatbox' 99% male dominant with male only dark room)
And a few parties:

Daddi@Tramline (male only, shares a bathroom with a straight club, which is hilarious at times seeing 18 y/o country lads out for 'the shift' washing their hands next to some oul lad wearing nothing but a leather harness, jock strap and faux police hat. No dark room here but there are 'dark booths' anything goes in here)

Profile@Voodoo and Bukakke@Neon(perhaps Café en Seine after refurbishment) (99% male dominant, If you're not latino or a bean queen, hardly worth your while going to either)

Geared@Fibbers (male only, If you're into leather daddies and fetishwear of other sorts)

In Belfast there's Kremlin/union street which if you are from the south and not rough as a badgers arse, you wont enjoy it, unless you are drunk. Maverick is a bit more high brow but sparsely inhabited.

Was in Kremlin before Christmas with a large group of friends and had one of thee best nights there. Anytime I've been there, everyone is so friendly. The club is huge, music is stellar, a DJ who will actually take requests *gasp*, and a cocktail bar inside.



PS I don't think I'm as rough as a badgers arse :pac:


I'm loving the idea of a new addition to the gay bar force - however what niche is it going to fill? Another Panti, or will it have a license or something to stay open later?

L1011

There is no method of legally staying open later than 2:30 and that still requires a special exemption order every bloody night; which costs a lot and is why many bars don't bother anymore.

No point listing venues that stay open later - they are all breaking the law, albeit probably with implicit agreements not to get in trouble for it.


The number of gay bars came up in discussion at the weekend and thinking back we think there may have been a brief period of having 7 in the early-mid 00s:

George
Front Lounge (Street 66 now)
Dragon (Nolita now)
GUBU (Pantibar now)
Yello (Black Sheep now)
Spi (derelict strip club now)
Wig & Pen (Agnes Browns now)

But there's a good chance there wasn't actually as much crossover here, particularly some of the smaller ones may have been gone before The Dragon opened. There were (slightly) less dedicated club nights back then, but even if they all vanished I don't think we'd ever see the same number again.

Ten of Swords

I dont get up to Belfast much anymore and I haven't been to the Kremlin in a few years but I remember I had a brilliant time when I was there, it was fantastic and the crowd were great. Did you have a bad experience there or something?

J_E

Ten of Swords wrote: »

I dont get up to Belfast much anymore and I haven't been to the Kremlin in a few years but I remember I had a brilliant time when I was there, it was fantastic and the crowd were great. Did you have a bad experience there or something?

It sounds like poster has a few grudges against places and apparently only Irish barmen are friendly, if I am to read the post about Pantibar correctly! So maybe pinch of salt.

cgcsb

Ten of Swords wrote: »

I dont get up to Belfast much anymore and I haven't been to the Kremlin in a few years but I remember I had a brilliant time when I was there, it was fantastic and the crowd were great. Did you have a bad experience there or something?

I've been a few times. Mostly full of roaring drunks(from as early as 10pm), rough ppl with neck tatoos playing slot machines and persistent wierdos who come up and hassle you continuously even after saying 'not interested'. Music is often culchie 90s cliche cheesy stuff: I'll tell me ma, born slippy and a few more modern songs. Although I have gone on different occasions and the music is sometimes good. For the size of Kremlin, you have one tiny filthy unisex loo. You could definitely have good craic there if you sculled some drinks before you go and didn't mind the general state. There's nicer, non rough, places in Belfast, murials is good craic.

cgcsb

J_E wrote: »

It sounds like poster has a few grudges against places and apparently only Irish barmen are friendly, if I am to read the post about Pantibar correctly! So maybe pinch of salt.

Well you would have read it incorrectly so.

imme

The new bar, Penny Lane, will be across the road from Pantibar, on Great Strand Street.

If you are in the smoking area of Pantibar it is directly across the street/lane from you.

It is incredibly close to Pantibar so will be interesting to see how they work side by side as it were.
What will the vibe be, the style of it.

ongarboy

imme wrote: »

The new bar, Penny Lane, will be across the road from Pantibar, on Great Strand Street.

If you are in the smoking area of Pantibar it is directly across the street/lane from you.

It is incredibly close to Pantibar so will be interesting to see how they work side by side as it were.
What will the vibe be, the style of it.

I'm hoping it won't be a carbon copy with interchangeable staff etc. Nothing wrong with Pantibar staff or the bar itself, I just don't want to feel like I'm drinking in Pantibar Part 2. I'd like to see a distinct vibe and offering. Street 66 was very quiet this past Friday night so it's a risky move opening new venues these days.

baby and crumble

ongarboy wrote: »

Street 66 was very quiet this past Friday night so it's a risky move opening new venues these days.

January isn't a good time to judge that I'd say.

imme

ongarboy wrote: »

I'm hoping it won't be a carbon copy with interchangeable staff etc. Nothing wrong with Pantibar staff or the bar itself, I just don't want to feel like I'm drinking in Pantibar Part 2. I'd like to see a distinct vibe and offering. Street 66 was very quiet this past Friday night so it's a risky move opening new venues these days.

Yes, I think it should not try to be a pantibar annex or pantibar2.
One might imagine it won't have a performance area or stage as there'd be no need for it.

It will be strange to have 2 LGBT pubs so close together, like something you find abroad.

Street 66 was very very busy on Saturday night just gone.

gmisk

imme wrote: »

The new bar, Penny Lane, will be across the road from Pantibar, on Great Strand Street.

If you are in the smoking area of Pantibar it is directly across the street/lane from you.

It is incredibly close to Pantibar so will be interesting to see how they work side by side as it were.
What will the vibe be, the style of it.

I walked past it on saturday and looks like its coming along well, it doesnt look like pantibar, lots of wood and hipster pendant lights I think.

Goodshape

https://twitter.com/PantiBliss/status/1085189691656171524

Barna77

cgcsb wrote: »

Cant wait, somewhere new. I noticed new bar men in panti, perhaps training for the new place. The new barmen where Irish and friendly, so will be a welcome reprieve from the latino fetishism you have to tolerate in panti. The clustering effect in the area may also encourage further competition.

Friendly or not (never had any issue with them), but lord they can be useless...

imme wrote: »

The new bar, Penny Lane, will be across the road from Pantibar, on Great Strand Street.

Panti Street for pride



About Belfast, never been to Kremlin, only to Union St Bar, Maverick and the one upstairs which name I can't remember. Always had a laugh there (had some drunk -non sexual- encounter with a local politician , obviously not Arlene Foster). Also I was with locals

Nearby The Bear and the Doll is nice for a drink.

GinAndBitter

L1011 wrote: »

There is no method of legally staying open later than 2:30 and that still requires a special exemption order every bloody night; which costs a lot and is why many bars don't bother anymore.

No point listing venues that stay open later - they are all breaking the law, albeit probably with implicit agreements not to get in trouble for it.


The number of gay bars came up in discussion at the weekend and thinking back we think there may have been a brief period of having 7 in the early-mid 00s:

George
Front Lounge (Street 66 now)
Dragon (Nolita now)
GUBU (Pantibar now)
Yello (Black Sheep now)
Spi (derelict strip club now)
Wig & Pen (Agnes Browns now)

But there's a good chance there wasn't actually as much crossover here, particularly some of the smaller ones may have been gone before The Dragon opened. There were (slightly) less dedicated club nights back then, but even if they all vanished I don't think we'd ever see the same number again.

Was there not some theatre licence that allowed places to stay open later than half 2?

I remember hearing about it in the days of the Viper rooms and pal joeys.

cgcsb

Barna77 wrote: »

Friendly or not (never had any issue with them), but lord they can be useless...

That too.

Barna77 wrote: »

(had some drunk -non sexual- encounter with a local politician , obviously not Arlene Foster). Also I was with locals

I hear he's masc4masc :pac:

Seriously though, union st you'd have to be steaming to have a good time. I don't drink very much so am never steaming enough to go with the flow there. The Dublin scene is a lot less messy, more cliquey and more of a who's-who of look but don't speak to them types.

L1011

GinAndBitter wrote: »

Was there not some theatre licence that allowed places to stay open later than half 2?

I remember hearing about it in the days of the Viper rooms and pal joeys.

From about 2006 on, venues with a stage and something they could blag to be a "performance" could usually obtain a theatre licence and open until 3:30 legally. The reality of it was that a blind eye was given to that also, 4 to 4:30 weren't uncommon and I was served after 6am in one gay venue. Pre 2006 there were a few actual theatres allowed serve til 4 but that was more enforced

The south city centre clubs operated unofficial staggered closing times (no admittance after 2/230 or so but kept serving until 'their' time) and it reduced fights and other antisocial behaviour by a small but statistically significant amount. Anyone who has been out in the UK or on the continent knows that with 5 or 6am closing people leave when they want to rather than hanging on til the end and stacking "last orders" drinks up.

This all ended in 2008. The now gone Irish Nightclub Industry Association said at the time that the 2008 laws would kill nightclubs - and it seems they were right; its just taken over a decade.

Barna77

cgcsb wrote: »

That too.
The Dublin scene is a lot less messy, more cliquey and more of a who's-who of look but don't speak to them types.

Very cliquey :mad:

ceebee1981

Anyone know when the bar is actually opening?

cgcsb

Could well be a hoax tbh all is quiet on social media and opening day came and went

what the hell!

I thought I saw Feb 3rd on Twitter from their own Twitter account?

Goodshape

Some more info on Joe.ie today: https://www.joe.ie/life-style/pantibar-new-bar-655892

joe.ie wrote:

"Pennylane will be a bit more 'grown up' than Pantibar. A slightly older, more sophisticated sister."

Panti also revealed that Pennylane will be opening on Thursday 14 February.

Yes, Valentine's Day!

wakka12

Its almost more like an extension of the current bar given how close it is. Panti bar is always packed whenever Ive been so Im sure itll do well. I like the building, and the area, both have a lot of character.The two bars sharing the laneway will mean there could be a nice outdoor mingling between the bars and create a kind of on street smoking area, could be the beginning of Dublin's first gay district

L1011

Unless they've gone under the road it'll legally be a different bar at least!

The laneway is still open for traffic and indeed can be very busy on weekend afternoons due to cars coming out of Arnotts carpark to head West. That's unlikely to change any time soon so it's not ideal for use

ED E

cgcsb wrote: »

Aside from the George you have:
...The Mezz (Thursday - Saturday only, Fridays are 'sweatbox' 99% male dominant with male only dark room)

When did that happen? Havent been in for ages but it was a place for teenage battle of the bands and bad rock tributes? Or are there two?

L1011

It's The Hub not The Mezz is it not - different floors

ED E

Ahh ok, yeah I remember that as all being one. Pokey little place, now they've removed the old stage its a little bigger but still a box.

ongarboy

The Facebook page for the new Penny Lane bar is now saying it will be opening on the St Patrick's weekend.

mikemark

Great news!

pauliebdub

It's delayed again to a later unspecified date. I wonder what the issue is?

L1011

Considering it looked ready to go externally a month ago; I'd hazard a guess at some licencing holdup. Initial transfer in of a licence can be delayed for extremely minor matters; it has lead to things like Token in Smithfield having to open as a restaurant with table service and no bar for a few months before the pub licence that should have been there day 1 was in.

Anteayer

What venues in Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland would people suggest for a bi guy in mid 30s. I'd probably prefer to meet just other gay/bi people generally at the moment as I'm finding my social circle is gone. I'm just back to Ireland after a few years abroad and I just found the night life in Dublin, Galway and Cork really focused on people in their early 20s.

Also, I'd been in a relationship for quite some time so I've kinda forgotten how the whole random socialising thing works and most of my friends are in boring mode in the suburbs somewhere.

I'm probably missing late bars or something, but I am actually finding Irish cities a bit of a hard social scene to break into.

I'd actually rather go to something where there was a purpose - meet-ups and so on. I don't like the whole wandering into a bar and looking like a spare part thing.

imme

Anteayer wrote: »

What venues in Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland would people suggest for a bi guy in mid 30s. I'd probably prefer to meet just other gay/bi people generally at the moment as I'm finding my social circle is gone. I'm just back to Ireland after a few years abroad and I just found the night life in Dublin, Galway and Cork really focused on people in their early 20s.

Also, I'd been in a relationship for quite some time so I've kinda forgotten how the whole random socialising thing works and most of my friends are in boring mode in the suburbs somewhere.

I'm probably missing late bars or something, but I am actually finding Irish cities a bit of a hard social scene to break into.

I'd actually rather go to something where there was a purpose - meet-ups and so on. I don't like the whole wandering into a bar and looking like a spare part thing.

There's a few ideas on this recent thread

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057961639

ongarboy

L1011 wrote: »

Considering it looked ready to go externally a month ago; I'd hazard a guess at some licencing holdup. Initial transfer in of a licence can be delayed for extremely minor matters; it has lead to things like Token in Smithfield having to open as a restaurant with table service and no bar for a few months before the pub licence that should have been there day 1 was in.

The delay seems to be due to fire safety cert not being issued. I'd hazard a guess that it doesn't have any rear emergency exits as there is no rear lane behind it so that could impede speedy exit of a crowd in an emergency.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/business/panti-bliss-postpones-opening-of-new-dublin-bar-amid-fire-safety-concerns-912938.html

baby and crumble

Anteayer wrote: »

What venues in Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland would people suggest for a bi guy in mid 30s. I'd probably prefer to meet just other gay/bi people generally at the moment as I'm finding my social circle is gone...

I'd actually rather go to something where there was a purpose - meet-ups and so on. I don't like the whole wandering into a bar and looking like a spare part thing.

I'd highly recommend events like Spicebag, Glitterhole or the Undercurrent performance nights. They're shows (usually cabaret, burlesque, drag, comedy) and do draw an older audience - usually late 20's up.

Goodshape

Opening tomorrow! 5pm.

https://twitter.com/PantiBliss/status/1134034379498565632