Lord Mayors to close

Homer

Sad news today that the Lord Mayors pub is to close with the loss of 26 jobs, and a bit of an iconic pub in north County Dublin

The Hill Billy

And not enough left in the pot to pay even statutory redundancy according to the papers. Sad indeed.

T-Maxx

Might be some truth in the JC's / Dunnes rumour after all...

Inquitus

T-Maxx wrote: »

Might be some truth in the JC's / Dunnes rumour after all...

Aye, all owned by the Savage's, shame it wasn't a bad pub for a lunch or whatever, never went there of an evening, but the Well seemed decent enough and was quite popular the few weekend lunchtimes I popped in.

Dizzyblonde

It's very sad about the Lord Mayor's, I wonder if it'll continue to be a pub or whether the land it's on will be developed. It's owned by a different branch of the Savages, JC's brother owned it before he too died.

selassie

If the old schoolhouse can expand and open the chalk bar you'd have to say it's down to mismanagement that the lord mayor's has failed. Big pub with multiple floors on sword's main street, with a competent owner it'd be thriving and if it stays a pub and changes hands I'd say it will be.

plodder

https://www.herald.ie/news/iconic-lord-mayors-pub-to-close-with-loss-of-27-jobs-38054812.html

That's very sad. I'd say a lot of money was spent when they renovated to open the Well. Have to say though when we were going out, we'd generally go to School House ahead of it as the buzz just seemed better there because it was bigger and more relaxed.

Dizzyblonde

On the Swords Businesses Facebook page:

With the imminent closure of the Lord Mayors pub in Swords, Indie Spice, Gourmet Food Parlour and The Grand Hotel are asking for Lord Mayors staff to contact them for possible employment opportunities.

Thank you so much for looking out for your neighbouring businesses and their staff.

pauliebdub

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

It's very sad about the Lord Mayor's, I wonder if it'll continue to be a pub or whether the land it's on will be developed.

I'm sure it's listed, it looks like a very old building. I feel sad for the staff and hope they get sorted soon. It always struck me that the pub had a lot of unrealised potential and was poorly managed, it lacked any kind of atmosphere and was often half empty.

Dizzyblonde

No it's definitely not listed. Someone posted a list of all the protected structures in the North County on a Swords Facebook page and it's not on it. It was a very dated pub and I don't know anyone who drank there regularly.

rushfan

Never found the Guinness to be great there. And there's a much better atmosphere in the Schoolhouse. That said, I hope all employees are looked after.

Elessar

Sad to see this go. It was my local and one of the only places in Swords that wasn't overcrowded and/or blaring music at the weekends. Loved a good pint there with friends each weekend where we could actually talk. Then again that's probably why it's closing. Guarantee it'll be turned into expensive apartments

Inquitus

Surprised its not listed per some of the people's posts above, 350 year old thatched dwelling that certainly plays its part of shaping the look of the Village as you enter it from the South end, much like the castle does from the North end. I would not like to see it turned into apartments and the like, myself.

PCros

Totally agree with the above post.

However, I have heard that the wall at the front which partially runs down Church Road cannot be touched as that is historic.

One thing I don't really understand is that there us surely enough room where the car park is alone to build those apartments and leave the pub where it is to be bought by another publican?

carltonleon

http://www.mainstreetswordsshd.com/

And less than a year after it closes .....

Edit - link fixed

Stheno

carltonleon wrote: »

www.mainstreetswordsshd.com

And less than a year after it closes .....

Link doesn't work

Elessar

http://www.mainstreetswordsshd.com/

172 apartments in place of the Lord Mayors. It was inevitable. They actually look nice.

I’m guessing they will all be build to rent though.

Homer

carltonleon wrote: »

http://www.mainstreetswordsshd.com/

And less than a year after it closes .....

Edit - link fixed

What exactly are you proposing be done with the site?

carltonleon

Homer wrote: »

What exactly are you proposing be done with the site?

Me?? I’m not proposing anything be done to the site.
Ii’m Just posting the link for information purposes as I came across it today and thought people might be interested as it was a feature of this thread when it was announced that it was closing

Dizzyblonde

I think it's great - that whole corner is a wasteland and the new buildings will be a huge improvement in my opinion

Inquitus

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I think it's great - that whole corner is a wasteland and the new buildings will be a huge improvement in my opinion

I disagree its a Swords landmark, work should be done to accommodate it into a new business, not level it, and put up a load of concrete apartments. Traffic is brutal getting in and out of there as it stands, this is going to make it infinitely worse.

Traffic is becoming a major issue in Swords now, due to the way the town happens to lie topographically. Everyone comes in from the M1 or the old N1 and there are very limited ways to access Applewood, Glen Ellen, Millers Glen at the one end, and Boraimhe, River Valley etc. at the other end of the Town. There are very few roads from the Malahide M1 side to the residential side to the west and it only gets worse as each year goes by.

Stheno

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I think it's great - that whole corner is a wasteland and the new buildings will be a huge improvement in my opinion

Agree

Stheno

Inquitus wrote: »

I disagree its a Swords landmark, work should be done to accommodate it into a new business, not level it, and put up a load of concrete apartments. Traffic is brutal getting in and out of there as it stands, this is going to make it infinitely worse.

Traffic is becoming a major issue in Swords now, due to the way the town happens to lie topographically. Everyone comes in from the M1 or the old N1 and there are very limited ways to access Applewood, Glen Ellen, Millers Glen at the one end, and Boraimhe, River Valley etc. at the other end of the Town. There are very few roads from the Malahide M1 side to the residential side to the west and it only gets worse as each year goes by.

What are you on about?

There are three exits from the m1 between the airport and donabate exits and multiple routes to take?

Inquitus

Stheno wrote: »

What are you on about?

There are three exits from the m1 between the airport and donabate exits and multiple routes to take?

You can only get to Applewood area from the Rathbeale road or via Glen Ellen Road.

You can only access Boraimhe and River Valley from Airside or the Lord Mayors turning.

I live in Glen Ellan and work in Airside business park, it used to take me 5-10 mins, now it can take 20-30 especially in the evenings.

There are very few routes from the M1 / Old N1 to the residential parts of Swords.

Stheno

Inquitus wrote: »

You can only get to Applewood area from the Rathbeale road or via Glen Ellen Road.

You can only access Boraimhe and River Valley from Airside or the Lord Mayors turning.

I live in Glen Ellan and work in Airside business park, it used to take me 5-10 mins, now it can take 20-30 especially in the evenings.

There are very few routes from the M1 / Old N1 to the residential parts of Swords.

So that's multiple routes for each for which there are multiple access points. I used live near Glen Ellen, you could go up the Manor and down to the crossroads as well.

I don't suppose you've considered how the closure of rathbeale road has affected this? Or the fact you don't seem to know your area very well?

Inquitus

Stheno wrote: »

So that's multiple routes for each for which there are multiple access points. I used live near Glen Ellen, you could go up the Manor and down to the crossroads as well.

I don't suppose you've considered how the closure of rathbeale road has affected this? Or the fact you don't seem to know your area very well?

The closure of the Rathbeale Road doesn't make a significant difference, my times to and from work pre-date that work, and don't seem to have a big impact beyond dropping kids to the schools in the impacted area at those specific times, maybe you don't know much about things since you moved out.

pinkypinky

Inquitus wrote: »

You can only get to Applewood area from the Rathbeale road or via Glen Ellen Road.

Or crossing Jugback lane.

Glen Ellen Road has easy access from Estuary Roundabout, and you can also go in around Emmaus and along the Balheary road to join it.

plodder

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I think it's great - that whole corner is a wasteland and the new buildings will be a huge improvement in my opinion

I think it's great too, that corner is a wasteland. Apart from the obvious, contributing to fixing the housing crisis, there's huge potential there to open public access to the River valley park. The devil is in the detail as usual, but I'm sure the planners will be extra careful given it's such a prominent location.

The proposed Western Distributor road should improve traffic in the Applewood Glen Ellan area ... when it's built.

Inquitus

plodder wrote: »

I think it's great too, that corner is a wasteland. Apart from the obvious, contributing to fixing the housing crisis, there's huge potential there to open public access to the River valley park. The devil is in the detail as usual, but I'm sure the planners will be extra careful given it's such a prominent location.

The proposed Western Distributor road should improve traffic in the Applewood Glen Ellan area ... when it's built.

I'd be happy if they left the original thatched buildings and used all the ground behind and the carpark for housing personally. I think the thatched building is almost as iconic to Swords as the Castle at the other end.

pow_pow

Yes, while I like the new designs and use of land, it'd have been nice to try incorporate the thatch building into, maybe even leaving it as a bar.

plodder

Inquitus wrote: »

I'd be happy if they left the original thatched buildings and used all the ground behind and the carpark for housing personally. I think the thatched building is almost as iconic to Swords as the Castle at the other end.

It is a nice building, though not in the same league as the castle imo, but keeping it would mean losing one of the three blocks and as far as I know it's not listed. So, I don't see it happening..

PCros

Not sure they'll get planning permission for such a large building. But you have to aim high and hopefully meet in the middle.

The planning states there's also plans to divert the stream as well - not sure how well that will sit.

As Inquitus mentioned the traffic is mental along the Dublin road to and from the Pav especially at rush hour. Hopefully these new home owners will be relying on the Metro instead.

I could be wrong but I thought the stone wall and well/pump was protected?

mickmmc

The list of Protected Structures is reviewed during the County Development process.

As a far as I am aware, some Holy Wells were not included in the 2017 - 2023 Development Plan. The Old Borough and the Old School House are Protected Structures under the County Development 2017 -2023 and the Lord Mayor's is
not? I don't understanding the reasoning for that.

I don't like the light grey brick on the Church Road image above and the windows are too small.

Inquitus

As far as I remember they didn't pay any redundancy to the workers in the Lord Mayors, now they stand to presumably make millions off this development if it gets the go ahead, defo a whiff of foul play about that.

Inquitus

PCros wrote: »

As Inquitus mentioned the traffic is mental along the Dublin road to and from the Pav especially at rush hour. Hopefully these new home owners will be relying on the Metro instead.

Yep in the fifteen years I have been doing the same commute it has gone from taking 5 mins to up to 30 mins especially in the evenings. When Ryanair clock off at 5:30pm it can take 10-15 mins to get our of Airside business park and onto the pinnock hill roundabout.

All the commuter traffic is coming largely from the East, M1, Malahide Road etc. and has to negotiate across the village to the residential parts largely to the West. There are still only the same handful of routes one can take to Applewood, Millers Glen et all and also to Boraimhe, Rivervalley et al. In the intervening years more and more estates have been built - Applewood / Thornleigh @2004, Millers Glen ongoing and huge in scope for the past 2-3 years and nowhere near being finished.

dylbert

The thatch roof is not original, it was added in the 90’s I think, original roof was slate, also the roof was raised at the same time, someone mentioned to me that this is the reason it lost it protected structure status.

VW 1

Inquitus wrote: »

As far as I remember they didn't pay any redundancy to the workers in the Lord Mayors, now they stand to presumably make millions off this development if it gets the go ahead, defo a whiff of foul play about that.

This came up in another thread, and I can confirm first hand I saw the cheque paid to one employee.

The one thing that would irk is that the site was "sold" or whatever, and then you check the directors of the company who have submitted the planning application.

plodder

dylbert wrote: »

The thatch roof is not original, it was added in the 90’s I think, original roof was slate, also the roof was raised at the same time, someone mentioned to me that this is the reason it lost it protected structure status.

It's hard to see how the Old School house remains a protected structure considering the changes there in recent years. I remember going there when it was a restaurant and it still looked like a school house. It's completely unrecognisable now.

I see the planning application for this submitted by "Jacko Investments". Don't think they could be accused of hiding the fact they are local (assuming they are).

carltonleon

plodder wrote: »

I see the planning application for this submitted by "Jacko Investments". Don't think they could be accused of hiding the fact they are local (assuming they are).

Yeah I noticed that, you would think it would have to be local alright

VW 1

plodder wrote: »

It's hard to see how the Old School house remains a protected structure considering the changes there in recent years. I remember going there when it was a restaurant and it still looked like a school house. It's completely unrecognisable now.

I see the planning application for this submitted by "Jacko Investments". Don't think they could be accused of hiding the fact they are local (assuming they are).

As I said above, do a check for the surnames of the directors of the company you mention. There has been no change of ownership of the site.

Inquitus

plodder wrote: »

It's hard to see how the Old School house remains a protected structure considering the changes there in recent years. I remember going there when it was a restaurant and it still looked like a school house. It's completely unrecognisable now.

Best restaurant Swords has ever had imho, and yes the new Pub bears absolutely no resemblance to the original "Old Schoolhouse" the restaurant was based in.

Dizzyblonde

Inquitus wrote: »

Best restaurant Swords has ever had imho, and yes the new Pub bears absolutely no resemblance to the original "Old Schoolhouse" the restaurant was based in.

Very true, I ate there in the early 80s. It was a fabulous restaurant and you really got a sense of it having been a schoolhouse.

plodder

VW 1 wrote: »

As I said above, do a check for the surnames of the directors of the company you mention. There has been no change of ownership of the site.

I wasn't doubting you on that point. I was just saying that if they wanted to hide the fact they still owned the site, then they probably wouldn't have given the company a name that only a Swords native would have.

shoegirl

VW 1 wrote: »

This came up in another thread, and I can confirm first hand I saw the cheque paid to one employee.

The one thing that would irk is that the site was "sold" or whatever, and then you check the directors of the company who have submitted the planning application.

You can look up the directors of companies online, and while I'd prefer to not name them, they are the original owners.


AFAIK I think the redundancy situation did get sorted out but couldn't be sure.


As for the development it was submitted into BP as an SDZ - hence the sheer numbers. It went straight to queries, particularly about the water tables, rivers, stream diversions, and fact that Block B is proposing building on a known flood plain, not surprisingly. But the artwork with the development suggests they plan to divert the stream (where?) and build on it.


I know there are chronic issues with noise disturbance from Old Schoolhouse to apartments in the median and chronic illegal parking spilling up the roads. The bridge on Well Rd is in a very poor state, due to effective change of use of the laneway at the Hollow caused by delivery vehicles and car parking. It was only ever supposed to be an access route for properties rearing onto the river.


Other big issue there is the unfinished plan to carry out road improvements from Main St to Brackenstown Rd. That could make any sort of development very difficult given the damage already done by Old Schoolhouse leasee to the fabric of the streets and surrounds. If its any help, a proposal to build a 100 room [!!] hotel at former ESB shop was shot down so unlikely this will get approved in its current form, particularly with the stream diversions proposed.

shoegirl

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Very true, I ate there in the early 80s. It was a fabulous restaurant and you really got a sense of it having been a schoolhouse.

Its been leased out to different management for quite some years now.
The original restaurant was quite a small affair, and regarded as one of the best in Dublin. What is there now is basically a superpub and the development the handiwork of a long term leaseholder.

Dizzyblonde

shoegirl wrote: »

Its been leased out to different management for quite some years now.
The original restaurant was quite a small affair, and regarded as one of the best in Dublin. What is there now is basically a superpub and the development the handiwork of a long term leaseholder.

The food was fabulous in the original restaurant.
The leaseholder bought out the premises a year or two back, then built the Chalk Bar. Afaik they also bought Peter Galvin's hardware. And they own Ruby's.