New Business openings and closures around you?

In terms of heft and financial resources, its probably Ailesbury and Anglesea Residents but Mount Merrion would be up there.

I remember working for a few developers a long time back and with the MMRA, they never knew what they wanted, but you could be certain it wasn't whatever you were offering them.

Big Mikes in Blackrock have announced their closure

Heard about that place not long ago. People raved about it. I was told you had to book way in advance to eat there, chefs from Michelin star restaurants and the prices were supposed to be very reasonable.

Must be a killer when you throw everything into it.

Sad news :(

Personally, I think the location was an issue. They ran two successful businesses elsewhere so clearly know how to run a business and do food well. But at the end of the day, it's hard to make going out for dinner in a shopping centre all that attractive for a reasonably expensive dinner - fine for a sandwich or a burger - but it just felt a little wrong in that location to me for a treat night out or whatever

I have to say I disagree with that . I was a punter from back in the Mt Merrion days and I am a Blackrock local and that place did the business. No question.

The location was not an issue, they were busy all the time. Lots of restaurants going out of business have been busy

Fair enough. I guess it's just a personal thing that the location never appealed to me. Michaels was great and was sorry it closed :(

Ah that's totally reasonable, I remember thinking it was a strange choice but tbh they proved me wrong. At least in terms of getting bums on seats.

Sure they opened an annnex with additional seating maybe 18months ago.

I liked it,

I'd say the issue was less that the restaurant was in a shopping centre and more the size of the restaurant and the rent that went with it. Every restaurant that's been in that unit has failed miserably.

I completely agree that the taps were woeful. I knew the barman/mixologist there well and said it a few times, but tbf they were a cocktail bar and they were excellent at that.

As to your other point, they did put up a lot of advertising for the bar around the place explaining it was open to non-diners, I remember because I just wandered in one night for a drink and a look with no intentions of eating. As a matter of fact several of my friends and family would go in there for a drink before going to dinner elsewhere

The issue is Gov taxes and increased minimum wage. I listened to a podcast lately and the owner of Hugos in town said her wage bill went up by 97k a year due to the last 2 increases in minimum wage ans she said she only had 1 junior on minimum wage but that she had to raise salaries for all other staff. Think she has 27 working there. Then you add all the inflation, Vat increaes etc.

I read someplace lately that the number of jobs advertised now at minimum wage has increased significantly. This tells me that the employees that were maybe on 2 or 3 euro more per hour that the minimum wage a few years back are not getting the same increase % wise.

This inflation wont stop until the Gov realise that it cant keep taxing input variables and increasing minimum wages way above inflation levels.

I'd Consider it a restaurant rather than a 'pub'. If you're not getting food they don't really wanna know.

I'm surprised enough to hear that. I'd eat in there 2 or 3 times a month and never had an issue with the service. Can be a small bit slow when its packed on the weekend, but the food is never less than very good.