Foxhunter Pub Closed by Revenue ?

andrewsunbeam · 13-01-2014 8:34pm

I agree with you although I am not sure all of the residents (including those directly behind the pub) would be delighted to see it open again. They were never too happy over the years when there was any suggestion of further development on the land.

There was a sot above mentioning the current owners, this might be a silly questions but who are the current owners? Is there a administrator, a liquidator, a controlling individual at the Revenue?

I say with a little bit of a tongue in cheek, someone should build a petrol station, its not uncommon to have two beside each other competing and we all know how much the Texaco has made over the years. Perhaps a station that doesn't sell discount bulk washing powder. that could be their "Unique Selling Point" - we don't sell bulk washing powder but our milk is even cheaper than Texaco. That said the staff are great at the Texaco and it is by far the best place to get your car washed in Dublin.

average_runner · 14-01-2014 1:42pm

andrewsunbeam wrote: »

I agree with you although I am not sure all of the residents (including those directly behind the pub) would be delighted to see it open again. They were never too happy over the years when there was any suggestion of further development on the land.

There was a sot above mentioning the current owners, this might be a silly questions but who are the current owners? Is there a administrator, a liquidator, a controlling individual at the Revenue?

I say with a little bit of a tongue in cheek, someone should build a petrol station, its not uncommon to have two beside each other competing and we all know how much the Texaco has made over the years. Perhaps a station that doesn't sell discount bulk washing powder. that could be their "Unique Selling Point" - we don't sell bulk washing powder but our milk is even cheaper than Texaco. That said the staff are great at the Texaco and it is by far the best place to get your car washed in Dublin.

A pity about their rip off price for petrol, always 6-8c dearer than esso on n4 in palmerstown

unkel · 14-01-2014 3:44pm

average_runner wrote: »

A pity about their rip off price for petrol, always 6-8c dearer than esso on n4 in palmerstown

Their prices used to be keen enough, until they started doing all this bulk washing powder sh1te :rolleyes:

Mary BS · 14-01-2014 11:39pm

I think the residents behind the Foxhunter were entitled to be concerned when the development of the site around the Foxhunter seemed to be planned ............high density and multiple floors would not have been popular at their back gardens. The Foxhunter Pub has been there for years and as a properly run local pub and not including a nite club which is not suitable for a quiet residential area shouldn't disturb the residents close-by.

If its the Bank or Banks that now hold the rights to the Pub or NAMA it seems to be in neither of their interests that the Pub should remain closed and the building allowed deteriorate as the months pass..............the point I wanted to make was that given the increased population in the area, the Pub has great potential to be a popular and successful venue; afterall that's just what it was a decade ago with a lot less houses and apartments nearby. Nice pubs doing good food are doing really well around Dublin suburbs in every direction so ..................yes the Texaco garage is great as are the staff but please bring back a local pub to this area..............
Mary BS

Walter Sobchak III · 25-01-2014 5:13pm

A "For Sale" sign outside it now

Mary BS · 28-01-2014 1:21pm

I hadnt looked at the site for a while but I must say I am delighted to see the input from Walter that there's a For Sale sign gone up outside the Foxhunter in the last few days............I am assuming that its being sold as a Pub but if not, and its for development purposes, we will just have to demonstrate our objections where and when ever we can. If the planners are permitted to add another thousand residents (apartment development) who will then get into their cars to drive, along with the several thousands already living close to the Foxhunter, to the nearest bar/restaurant in Lucan Village or to Palmerstown/Liffey Valley areas, it will be another example of decisions being made at local government level in dark rooms with little or no consideration for the public....... it would not say much for supposed more enlightened, progressive and community based planning..............

Am off now to check out that sign and try to find out what the implications are.

Mary B

Mary BS · 28-01-2014 4:08pm

I had a look at the FOR SALE sign at the Foxhunter and checked out the sale details on the Internet and these are the main points: the property is offered for sale as a Commercial Unit, referred to as formerly The Foxhunter Pub ; it is not therefore for sale as a pub. It is being sold by the RECEIVER and its zoning is referred to as Objective A to protect and/or improve residential amenity, under the South Dublin County Council Development Plan 2010 to 2016.

The agents also refer to the fact that An Bord Pleanala Granted Permission in June 2006 for new residential development to the rear extending to 0.49 ha. That development was for 14 dwellings comprising 2 two bedroom townhouses, 3 three bedroom townhouses, 1 four bedroom terraced house, 6 four bedroom semi-detached houses and 2 five bedroom semi-detached houses together with 26 car parking spaces. This planning permission has now expired but it is obvious that the area is zoned to allow commercial and/or residential development and may be sold as a whole unit or broken up in 2 lots: the site at the rear for development, presumably, and the commercial.
It seems to me the chances of the Commercial Section being a Pub/Restaurant are nil.

So, this is in effect the death knell for this very historic Pub …….and given the population explosion in the area, a quite incredible development …………Its difficult to see how a receiver would allow the valuable commercial unit to be killed off as a PUB ………even if some residential units were to go ahead at the rear………….

A sad and disappointing end to this historic site, but of course, a very BIG PLUS in terms of extra revenue for Pub/Restaurant businesses in Lucan Village with its newly arrived additional pub making for the 4th pub there, or 5th if you count the Ball Alley just out the road.

Mary BS

Heroditas · 28-01-2014 5:50pm

Surely a pub is a commercial unit?

westdub · 28-01-2014 9:52pm

Mary BS wrote: »

I had a look at the FOR SALE sign at the Foxhunter and checked out the sale details on the Internet and these are the main points: the property is offered for sale as a Commercial Unit, referred to as formerly The Foxhunter Pub ; it is not therefore for sale as a pub.
Mary BS

They cant sell it as a pub unless it has a license and I cant imagine too many with a license being interested in it.....

Mary BS · 29-01-2014 12:54pm

Now that you point it out a pub is a commercial unit ..........so perhaps it might not be that difficult to get a license and operate it again as a pub, after all the new pub in Lucan Village managed it where there was no license attached to the commercial premises, and there is already 3 pubs within 100 meters of the new one.........

It is still puzzling though that the Foxhunter once a very popular pub once doing a good trade in food and drink, was wound down and out as a pub, even if the investment in it and the development associated with it, went "belly up" due to the changing times and values.........

It might still be rescued as a small pub and restaurant or a licensed restaurant if the right people become interested and they recognised the potential from the large population in the area...........maybe even from the UK who it is suggested have an interest in Irish Pubs, though maybe only those operating already as a pub......not sure what other commercial business would suit.....but maybe it is too early to give up on a Pub/Restaurant in the area or maybe a restaurant ......Mary BS

josh59 · 03-02-2014 10:14am

On a related point I noticed that the Salmon Leap in Leixlip has been sold. It had been closed and was then damaged by fire - be interesting to see what happens to that site.

Given Witherspoons are on the acquisition trail in Ireland and have just opened their first pub in a motorway services in the UK - I would think the Fox would be a logical place for them to buy to re-open as a pub.

Noting some of the comments regarding the loss of a pub etc etc when the Foxhunter closed - surely the pub business is suffering and turnover in pubs is generally down. A lot of the Foxhunter trade I would suspect was passing trade and the drink driving laws killed a lot of that off I'm sure the Towey group would have continued to run the business as a pub had the returns been there or was the money they were offered for the site too good to pass.

Mary BS · 03-02-2014 3:11pm

It is true of course that the pub business is suffering and turnover in pubs is generally down..................but pubs that are doing really well are those providing good food and good service in nice settings.............also the pub business can't be that bad given that a new and 4th Pub has just opened in Lucan Village and according to the staff it is planning to offer food in the near future, therefore competing with Kenny's and Courtneys: Courtneys having opened a new restaurant not too long ago: While the Fox did enjoy passing trade which the drink/driving laws affected, it surely wouldn't have affected too much those customers who were there for the food...........Also, at the time it was sold on the local population had expanded and if a Pub owner can make a success of a Pub/Restaurant at the ARC location, its a mystery why The FOX came a cropper ................I'm sure the price at the time was pretty significant as it was both a Pub & development site and the ARC location at the time, not in the same price bracket as an undeveloped site.............I still say give the people a nice pub, with good food & menu, good pint/drinks in an appealing setting .........and you have them ............they won't have to taxi/travel beyond their local .........fingers crossed that the site finds the right owner who sees the potential in the population of the area.......and we get a nice place to eat/drink and bring friends .........please don't let it be another "fast food joint" !!!! will sell up if that's the future of the site.

average_runner · 04-02-2014 1:52pm

Mary BS wrote: »

It is true of course that the pub business is suffering and turnover in pubs is generally down..................but pubs that are doing really well are those providing good food and good service in nice settings.............also the pub business can't be that bad given that a new and 4th Pub has just opened in Lucan Village and according to the staff it is planning to offer food in the near future, therefore competing with Kenny's and Courtneys: Courtneys having opened a new restaurant not too long ago: While the Fox did enjoy passing trade which the drink/driving laws affected, it surely wouldn't have affected too much those customers who were there for the food...........Also, at the time it was sold on the local population had expanded and if a Pub owner can make a success of a Pub/Restaurant at the ARC location, its a mystery why The FOX came a cropper ................I'm sure the price at the time was pretty significant as it was both a Pub & development site and the ARC location at the time, not in the same price bracket as an undeveloped site.............I still say give the people a nice pub, with good food & menu, good pint/drinks in an appealing setting .........and you have them ............they won't have to taxi/travel beyond their local .........fingers crossed that the site finds the right owner who sees the potential in the population of the area.......and we get a nice place to eat/drink and bring friends .........please don't let it be another "fast food joint" !!!! will sell up if that's the future of the site.

Reason the arc does well it had a cinema deal, decent food and cater for kids.

In last 10 years, fox hunter food was below McDonalds standard and no great deals to attract people.

Mary BS · 04-02-2014 5:36pm

Sadly, that's very true about the poor quality of the food over the past few years at The Fox but that's the very reason I say if it had the right owner(s), good staff, and especially a good manager & chef, plus reasonable pricing in an appealing setting .........then that surely should attract the many locals and also passing trade, which seems to work very well for the Poitin Stil off the M7 and also a few miles from the city.............I haven't been in the Poitin for about a year but it was pretty full the last time I was there, and it's a pretty big place; there were lots of families/children and what looked like a good many passing business/sales persons, it was a weekday.

westdub · 04-02-2014 9:53pm

Mary BS wrote: »

........then that surely should attract the many locals and also passing trade, which seems to work very well for the Poitin Stil off the M7 and also a few miles from the city.........

The big difference between the Foxhunter and Poitin stil is if your driving out the N7 looking for some where to stop for something to eat or a drink and see the Poitin stil all you have to do is indicate left and pull into the car park, where as with the Foxhunter when you see it you cant just pull in due to the barrier dividing the traffic in front of it I think that is the biggest reason the demise happened...and before you say its easy to enter if you stay in the left lane you have to be in the lane long before you see the pub and a lot of the passing trade would be spur of the moment ... Woman..'' look there's a nice pub lets stop'' ....Man.... ''we cant pull in there lets find somewhere handier''

average_runner · 05-02-2014 9:29am

westdub wrote: »

The big difference between the Foxhunter and Poitin stil is if your driving out the N7 looking for some where to stop for something to eat or a drink and see the Poitin stil all you have to do is indicate left and pull into the car park, where as with the Foxhunter when you see it you cant just pull in due to the barrier dividing the traffic in front of it I think that is the biggest reason the demise happened...and before you say its easy to enter if you stay in the left lane you have to be in the lane long before you see the pub and a lot of the passing trade would be spur of the moment ... Woman..'' look there's a nice pub lets stop'' ....Man.... ''we cant pull in there lets find somewhere handier''

In fairness the pub was on the way out before the barriers went up.

All the they need to do is advertise it on the side of the road loads.

Have a nice friendly pub with good food, fun for kids and nice a playground out side for the kids.

Poitin was a brutal place for food 15 years ago, turned it around now.

Mary BS · 05-02-2014 10:56pm

I agree the barrier doesn't help and the road set up at this point isn't great however well-intentioned it was in terms of safety. On the other hand cars and trucks don't appear to have any trouble getting into the garage even just for food and newspapers.........and I see them getting in and out of this garage everyday.........

Just like all the other factors that make up a good local pub in this day and age (e.g.good management, a good menu, a good chef, good staff, a good pint & good prices, a nice setting ..........a good reputation will follow quickly...) I agree too that good signage placed in the right locations is just as important.........

Tuschinsky · 25-03-2014 11:11pm

Is it true that it's going to be an Aldi?

lord lucan · 25-03-2014 11:37pm

Tuschinsky wrote: »

Is it true that it's going to be an Aldi?

First i've heard of it. There's an Aldi only a few minutes away on the Fonthill Road and a Lidl at Ballyowen so i'd be surprised if they picked there as a location. Traffic would be a disaster,especially at peak times in the afternoon and evening. Even with just the garage traffic the off ramp is heavily congested let alone without adding more traffic to it.

In saying that,i could see were they may think it would be a good place to catch the Lucan/Leixlip/Celbridge/Maynooth bound traffic in the evenings.

Tuschinsky · 25-03-2014 11:53pm

There is also an Aldi in Palmerstown so I thought it unlikely myself. The "Love Lucan" Facebook page posted the old photo from the is thread with the caption "soon to be an Aldi". I was thinking one of the UK pub chains would take it on, I heard they were looking for large premises with lots of car parking suitable for serving food. Seems ideal.

average_runner · 27-03-2014 10:29am

Tuschinsky wrote: »

There is also an Aldi in Palmerstown so I thought it unlikely myself. The "Love Lucan" Facebook page posted the old photo from the is thread with the caption "soon to be an Aldi". I was thinking one of the UK pub chains would take it on, I heard they were looking for large premises with lots of car parking suitable for serving food. Seems ideal.

I can see why Aldi would do it, the one in palmerston is out of the way, Fonthill is a traffic nightmare in the evenings, so the one at Foxhunter would catch the people before lidl.

How they handle the traffic is one thing, it will be a two/three storey aldi like East Wall one i would say.

Mary BS · 27-03-2014 9:50pm

An Aldi Store would not be a bad option at the site but with a good many Aldi & Lidl stores so closeby it seems an odd choice, and if they could manage the traffic challenges of the site, a Pub could do the same if they saw the potential of the location from the high volume local population in thew immediate surrounding area .........................I think the chances of a pub returning to the site are sadly slim given that the licence is gone and the site is offered for sale as commercial/residential without reference to potential for a public house despite its long history as a pub & Restaurant............. maybe a license is something that can be easily obtained; one was obtained for a 4th Pub in Lucan Village a KM away..............on the other hand its good for business for those pubs in the Village and for the Penny Hill that the Foxhunter Pub is gone and "stays gone" ....................

The For Sale sign is still there so it seems a long way from any decision for now.

bogmanfan · 16-04-2014 2:47pm

Heard at the weekend that this has been bought by Avoca

Tuschinsky · 16-04-2014 3:12pm

Where did you hear that? Would seem very close to the rathcoole shop and a bit small for them too I'd have thought

Heroditas · 16-04-2014 6:13pm

If they serve the Avoca food, it'll be a fantastic addition to the area. Love their stuff!

bogmanfan · 17-04-2014 10:28am

Tuschinsky wrote: »

Where did you hear that? Would seem very close to the rathcoole shop and a bit small for them too I'd have thought

My Dad is good friends with the Toweys who used to own the Foxhunter. He heard it directly from them.

Although it's a smaller site than Rathcoole or Delgany, they have a number of smaller units around, like the one at Moll's Gap in Killarney. I'd imagine if they concentrate on food, rather than the clothes/homewares end, they would have plenty of room there.

unkel · 18-04-2014 12:42am

I for one will be a regular customer if it's gonna be an Avoca. Nice!

Fagashlil · 05-07-2014 9:43pm

Husband heard from a chef in Avoca in rathcoole the other day that it's definitely going ahead at the old foxhunter, no idea of timeline as the building is in a heap and needs a lot done to make it operational.

Heroditas · 05-07-2014 11:05pm

I'll offer my services free of charge if it means the place will open quicker!

average_runner · 14-07-2014 12:45pm

Foxhunter hasn't even gone sale agreed yet, so think it be a while before someone moves in there

Foxhunter Pub Closed by Revenue ?

Comments