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Foxhunter Pub Closed by Revenue ?

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭Hank Schrader


    The pub was known as Ma Langans prior to the Towey family taking over in 1984 /1985 and had been on the site for a long, long time.



    Was part it (function room or restaurant) called Ma Langans ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 301 ✭✭Walter Sobchak III


    Back in the day it was originally Ma Langans before if was called the Foxhunter I believe Untitled.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    The original hostelry on the site, at least going back 70 years or so was named Ma Langans.

    In 1984 / 1985 the Towey group took it over and renamed it The Foxhunter, possibly due to the (then) local fox hunting club who regularly met up in the car park prior to their pursuit of the inedible.

    In the years after taking over the running of the pub, the management separated the drinking section from the eating section and I suppose in deference to the history of the place named the Restaurant Ma Langans.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,920 ✭✭✭3DataModem


    Nice timing by the old owners, flipping it in 2007. Hope they spent the money on cars and sunshine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    By all accounts a lot of the money went into building ARC at Liffey Valley SC.......but having seen at least one of the brothers around Lucan quite a lot over the years since the sale, there is little doubt that some of it did indeed go on fast cars and lot's of sunshine......fair play to him.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,398 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    I was born and raised in Lucan and when I came of legal drinking age the Foxhunter became my 'local' by virtue of the fact that I used to drink with some lads I knew from Palmerstown and that is where they used to drink before going on to the Spa Hotel niteclub.

    That was about 20 years ago now. I'm sad to hear the place has closed.
    True, tended to attract people who were barred from everwhere else
    That wouldn't have happened under the Towey's, they ran a tight ship and there was never any trouble there when I was a local.
    The pub was known as Ma Langans prior to the Towey family taking over in 1984 /1985 and had been on the site for a long, long time.
    Was part it (function room or restaurant) called Ma Langans ?
    Yeah, as Eric the Great said, the restaurant was named Ma Langan's in honour of the old pub. There was a sign in front of the pub for Ma Langan's restaurant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,398 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    Also, here's the picture mentioned earlier (courtesy of WishboneAsh):

    16TexacoGarage.jpg

    I'd forgotten the place looked like that :) Brings back memories. I miss Lucan of the 70's and 80's :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,172 ✭✭✭emo72


    so.....i heard this, the toweys bought it back for a song? so tell me if im wrong here, they sold it at the height for millions (13 million?), and bought it back for a pittance 1.5 million? great bit of business if true.

    as usual all the above is just the usual BS heard in pubs!


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    This rumor has been doing the rounds for a few months now.

    I spoke to Frank Towey in ARC a couple of weeks back and again he insisted that there was no truth in it.

    The Towey Brothers did sell up for a large sum in 2007, reputedly in the region of €14.3M, which included the buildings, car park, beer gardens et al.

    At one point there was full planning permission granted for a number of house and apartment units to be built on the site, while also retaining a Public House there, not necessarily the building as we see it today.

    I am not sure if the PP still applies, doesn't matter really as the developer who bought the site in the first place owes so much money to NAMA that he is unlikely to ever resurrect his interests there.

    The site is currently being used as a handy dumping ground for fly tippers, a full suite of sitting room furniture arrived a couple of weeks back and currently sits at the fence surrounding the beer garden, nice and cozy for the boys and girls on their al fresco gargle sessions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1 newer84


    I don't think any of these rumours are true. The latest is that the person who had it when it was shut is getting it back as he has been seen down there. I have seen people in there recently cleaning the place out. Looks like its getting ready for a refurbishment. The best thing to do would be to go down there and ask if you see anyone.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 13 livinginlucan


    Just to add more rumor Declan Towey was seen coming out of the Foxhunter pub last week with a load of "suits". May be coincidence but there is usually never smoke without fire.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18 andrewsunbeam


    Anyone know what is going on now with the Fox. I really would like to find out what the status is of the place is.:(


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    Just heard this week (for the umpteenth time) that the Fox has definitely been taken over with renovations due to start immediately, with a re-opening date of mid to late September.

    Unfortunately when I asked a couple of pertinent questions as to the source of this particular rumor the answers were not forthcoming.....

    You know, a guy in the Lord Lucan said his mate in the Penny Hill told his girlfriends cousins sister in Kennys....that kind of thing.

    All I can tell you is what I see with my own eyes on a daily basis.....the whole site is a disgrace.

    Over grown with weeds, paint peeling and more and more evidence of anti social behavior.....flower containers smashed to pieces, empty bottles , cans , flagons.......human excrement, yes my friends, you heard right!!!, and discarded rubbish of the household variety.

    The Fox was closed exactly 9 months ago today and barring a miracle I for one cannot see it re-opening in anything like it's previous form.

    So in the interests of the local community, I say bring on the bulldozers and level the place before it becomes more of a health hazard than it already is................


  • Registered Users Posts: 450 ✭✭Fagashlil


    The inside has been destroyed also, not long after it closed, it was broken into via the skylights and the place was wrecked.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    Sounds like the Foxhunter might be an ideal target for Greene King:

    Greene King searching for Dublin suburban pubs


    The bit about the car park in particular stands out:
    Greene King wants to acquire suburban premises outside the city centre, with large car parks. It is understood to be particularly interested in acquiring premises in working-class areas.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    I'll ave a pint o bitter and a chip butty, thank ya very much!!!:(


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    If the place serves pints of bitter or a nice IPA, you'll have to pry me away from the place with a crowbar.


  • Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭Hank Schrader


    Boddingtons looking to set up over here.

    Wouldn't be a bad call ?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,070 ✭✭✭ScouseMouse


    Just to add more rumor Declan Towey was seen coming out of the Foxhunter pub last week with a load of "suits". May be coincidence but there is usually never smoke without fire.

    I know this is an old comment, buy I mentioned this to Declan and he flatly denied this.

    Personally, I think they have enough to do with the ARK


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    Any further info on this? Saw lights on outside the restaurant and inside. Trespassers or renovations?

    I know of an investor (publican) who was curious about buying


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,839 ✭✭✭✭average_runner


    congo_90 wrote: »
    Any further info on this? Saw lights on outside the restaurant and inside. Trespassers or renovations?

    I know of an investor (publican) who was curious about buying


    Only thing that could do well there is a real good restaurant


  • Registered Users Posts: 1 Mick Deasy


    Hi, Eric the Great,
    You know your Foxhunter stuff. Would ya know when the Toweys, sold it in 2007, for how long was it closed initially before it opened back up again. Just tryin to settle a little discussion.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    Towey Bros completed the sale and were gone in mid / late October 2007, Pub was closed for 2/3 weeks and the re-opened under new management....was well and truly up and running before Xmas of that year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    congo_90 wrote: »
    Any further info on this? Saw lights on outside the restaurant and inside. Trespassers or renovations?

    I know of an investor (publican) who was curious about buying


    Took a stroll around there last night to check this out.......There were lights on outside the main entrance to the dining area and inside, looks like the ladies toilets....There were also lights on at the back end (smoking area).....no signs of any kind of movement in the building though.

    Same lights were still on this morning as I passed on the way to work.

    Add to this the wife was walking the dog on Friday morning last and noticed two lads, one in a white van and a second suited up with the front door (golf shop) opened and the lights on inside.

    I may be wrong here but it appears to me that this may be just a security deal to make it a little bit more uncomfortable for the vandals who have been systematically destroying the place.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭zing


    It looked like someone was working on the alarm a couple of days ago (two days in a row) -- door open & later up against the wall over the door where the alarm/lights are. Would make sense as the alarm was going off intermittently for about a week before hand (noticed it a couple of times cycling past). Also noticed the lights towards the back left on one day afterwards.

    Pretty much what Eric The Great (& his missus) said..


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    Took a stroll around there last night to check this out.......There were lights on outside the main entrance to the dining area and inside, looks like the ladies toilets....There were also lights on at the back end (smoking area).....no signs of any kind of movement in the building though.

    Same lights were still on this morning as I passed on the way to work.

    Add to this the wife was walking the dog on Friday morning last and noticed two lads, one in a white van and a second suited up with the front door (golf shop) opened and the lights on inside.

    I may be wrong here but it appears to me that this may be just a security deal to make it a little bit more uncomfortable for the vandals who have been systematically destroying the place.

    Hmm even so i wonder leaving lights on won't deter the first vandals. Any indication how much damage has been caused? Perhaps pm that. Its sad to see such an establishment go south so fast.
    Whatever people say about its desperate last attempts staying viable, someone, somewhere lost jobs etc as a result.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    Happy to report that as of last Friday evening the entire Foxhunter site, including the alley leading back up to the N4 has been cleared of all the rubbish dumped there over the last 12 months.

    All of the smashed flower barrels have been removed and the grass along the back wall of Hermitage park Estate has been cut.

    The lights are still on as mentioned before.

    At this time I am not reading anything else into this apart from the fact that the current owners of the site have decided (or been forced by the SDCC) to clean it up.....but you never know.....hope springs eternal.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Eric The Great


    Drove past the Fox yesterday on a couple of occasions, saw a fair bit of activity going on around the front of the building. All the lights were on inside and most of the decorative lights outside as well. Two lads in white vans hauling trailers and a lad in a suit with a clipboard......could be any reason, but there you go.


  • Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭Hank Schrader


    Drove past the Fox yesterday on a couple of occasions, saw a fair bit of activity going on around the front of the building. All the lights were on inside and most of the decorative lights outside as well. Two lads in white vans hauling trailers and a lad in a suit with a clipboard......could be any reason, but there you go.


    Good. Maybe this will force The Pennyhill to stop raising their prices willy nilly. Fecking ridiculous at this stage


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  • Registered Users Posts: 11 Mary BS


    I've been catching up on all the posts on the sad continuing closure of the Foxhunter Pub in Lucan. First let me say Ive been in this area of Lucan for over 20 years now and can't believe that this once popular and lovely local ever closed down let alone remain closed for such a long time.

    Its not all that long ago when it was necessary to pre-book a table in the restaurant there so as not have to wait too long for some nice food. The waiting /floor staff were brilliant and the food, though not an extensive menu, was always well cooked, hot and well presented. It was a grand pub to bring friends to for either food or a few drinks or both and be able to walk home. afterwards. There was also a time when you could walk down and enjoy an afternoon jazz session of a Sunday. While the menu could have been added to from time to time to keep it interesting it was a really enjoyable night out ......Its really difficult to see how it didn't stay in business or at least return to business very quickly (if was a Revenue only issue) since its hey day of good food and good drink that I'm talking of, there are several thousand more residents in the surrounding areas within walking distance of this Pub ...........so how could it not succeed ? running a successful pub that provides a nice venue, good drink and good food, good staff like they had once, at value for money prices to locals numbering in thousands (forget about passing trade its not even needed) is not rocket science. Like everyone else in this local area I now go to Lucan Village for a night out or for some food and insofar as food is concerned, there isn't all that much competition in the Village when it comes to Pub Grub, we still need to taxi home .......which is not bad, but going to the Village really should not be necessary given the very large population in the local area here. With such huge numbers living around the Foxhunter: just count all the estates within walking distance (even keeping the walk at say 10 mins only) and all the new Apartments, it seems to me that the operation and management of this lovely local couldn't possibly fail unless of course those doing so, were clueless in the extreme; While the Arc is an attractive enough option, its in a terrible location for anyone wishing to walk. A hugely populated local area with NO PUB and NO GRUB.................there's a huge opportunity here for the right owner/management!

    If the Foxhunter never returns it will be sad both for the history of the Pub but more importantly for the large number of residents here and it will be most odd if we are forced to taxi or drive for a nice meal and/or a few drinks. In whose interests would that be I wonder.

    Mary B.


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