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HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE have gathered in Dublin this afternoon to protest against proposed developments at the Cobblestone pub in Smithfield and Merchant’s Arch in Temple Bar.
Carrying a coffin across the Hapenny Bridge to Merchants Arch pic.twitter.com/iQo4jA5feS
— Paul Duane 🍥 (@paulduanefilm) October 9, 2021
Recent days has seen criticism of the plans to build a boutique hotel at Merchant’s Arch laneway in the city centre and another nine-storey hotel beside the Cobblestone pub in Smithfield.
People first gathered in Smithfield Square this afternoon before making their way along the quays, across the Ha’penny Bridge to Merchant’s Arch and finally to Dublin City Council’s offices where protesters delivered a coffin with the words ‘RIP Dublin’ written on it.
There has been sustained criticism of the two separate proposed developments over the past week leading many to criticise what is seen in some quarters as an over-proliferation of hotels in the city.
A petition opposing the proposal to build a hotel beside Dublin’s famous Cobblestone pub has received over 25,000 signatures since Thursday.
The development would see the demolition of a number of derelict buildings adjoining the pub and the construction of a nine-storey hotel.
According to the planning application, the Cobblestone, a protected structure, will be retained as part of any development.
However, there are fears a music venue attached to the pub as well the smoking area will be demolished and the Cobblestone surrounded by the new hotel.
The Cobblestone is one of Dublin’s most popular pubs and is well-known for hosting daily trad sessions.
Separately, the development at Merchant’s Arch will involve the demolition of a number of retail units in the laneway at the Temple Bar end and the construction of a hotel and restaurant.
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It’s surreal that we have to even protest this.
@Clare Cassidy: they protect the skyline with their lives (as if Dublin has any sort of iconic skyline) but let them pick away at any scrap of character from the city
@Clare Cassidy: I couldn’t agree more. If you asked anyone, who knows even a bit about a Dublin, to pinpoint on a map the top 10 things that make Dublin great- these 2 places would most definitely be there. I’m still waiting for someone to jump out and say ‘fooled you’. Beyond a joke this whole thing.
@Lucy Legacy: has anyone bothered to look at the plans on the council website? The Arch will not be affected and neither will the majority of buildings beside/surrounding it. The hotel looks like another dismal tiny roomed hotel like the Dean or the Devlin. It’s a shame it’s a hotel but cop on its hardly affecting the Arch
@Peazel: You just don’t get it! Do you? Steal the character and culture of our city to suit the greed of investors..
@#1 Fifthwheel: I guess I just don’t! Anyway, the character and culture of the city is in its people. Closing down a bubble tea shop to build a hotel isn’t losing much. I agree another hotel is not needed but I also agree we need to regenerate the city. I drove the quays yesterday and the amount of derelict and downtrodden buildings left unattended is insane.
100% agree with protest. The state is destroying everything that helps to keep our individual cultural identity.
@UnitedPeople #StopCETA: The state has nothing to do with this private venture
@Dan Duggan:
Dublin City Council and An bord pleanala go to great lengths to prevent highrise development in places appropriate for it like the docklands and smithfield.
But they’ve done absolutely nothing to prevent the destruction of the city.
There should be a complete blanket ban on the development of hotels in Dublin. There are too many as it is, and they are structures which do not serve the residents.
Short of a judicial review in the High Court, this has already been approved. Where were the protests BEFORE the decision was made? Where were An Taisce when they were actually needed? Too busy objecting to big hospital extensions and cheese factories is where…
@Eoin Roche: you’d need a crystal ball to protest before a decision is granted.
@Eoin Roche: to be fair these things are usually not publicised until a decision has been made. Great turn out though for the protest
@Eoin Roche: We didn’t have psychic classes when I went to school!!
We have a reputation for live trad music the world over and here we are demolishing one of gems that is the cobblestone. To be replaced by yet another craft brewery of st John Gogarty type place shaking tourists down for €8 pints.
@Kevin O’Hara: The pub is not been demolished, he’s pissed off that he’s losing his beer garden the trad stuff is smokescreen
“Boutique”…What were these hotels called before this? More pretentious nonsense to go with the ‘artisan’ cafes and hipster ‘independent’ bars. Fair play to all protesting.
I lived in 80 north kings street in the 1970s that building is supposed to be a lisited building so no one can demolish it,their are steel beams around the building…please do not tell me they will be demolishing it.it was built in 1735…
We need gig and club and cultural venues not more p0xy hotels.
@DJ François: long live the club303 days
@Go On: definitely!
I am glad very pleased they are protesting what they intend to do with Merchant’s Arch, absolute disgrace.
Jeez did we learn nothing since Wood Quay!! The Cobblestone and Arch are not being threatened quite obviously, but the surrounding buildings although not landmarks or historically significant are intrinsic parts of the fabric that make up the higgledy piggeldy city centre of Dublin, which is being steadily eroded (as is Cork City centre, Sextant pub anyone? ) Dundrum, Blanchardstown and the Square are the perfect shopping/hotel experience for those who prefer homogenous glass and concrete surroundings. Leave our city centre alone!
They do know the arch itself isn’t being removed right?
@Paul Cunningham: No, I’ll tell them.
@Paul Cunningham: doesn’t matter, have you seen the plans for the hotel beside it? Looks so out of place.
@Paul Cunningham: Duh!
We had similar marches at the time of Wood Quay! The destruction of Dublin is in the hand of moneyed developers and failed architectural planners. Looking through the Arch and the horrific bank building ( being rebuilt due to not fit for purpose) designed by the biggest destroyer of Dublin , Sam Stevenson . Disgraceful
So they are protesting the redevelopment of derelict buildings and the possible demolishing of the outdoor and smoking area of a pub…..
Has anyone bothered to look at the actual plans? Barely anything will be affected. Cop on and get over it. Fair enough it’s a shame it’s a hotel but the arch is not even affected.
Is there plans to deal with the smell of pee in merchants arch?
I lived in 80 north kings street in the 1970s that building is supposed to be a lisited building so no one can demolish it,their are steel beams around the building…please do not tell me they will be demolishing it.it was built in 1735…
Sorry but am I the only one wondering who is inside the coffin?
Did the protesters see a funeral, flag over the hearse, take the coffin on a mourning family only to bring the deceased into Temple Bar?
Gotta hand it to the Irish, again!
We definitely got our priorities right.
Housing crisis, rip-off climate “plan”, pandemic, income inequality, healthcare… all sorted!
Cobblestone pub and Merchant’s Arch, definitely the most pressing issues of our time.
@Stan Papusa: people chanted about needing housing not hotels as they marched. The overdevelopment of hotels directly affects housing
Jobs…nah fuk it let’s protest. Sorry guys more important issues than new commercial builds.
@John Rock: Protest police here. What are you doing about all the other more important issues yourself?
It’s sad to see that they are people who are willing to destroy our culture
The Tivoli Theatre in the liberties was lost in the same way to Hotel Development, was a vibrant nightclub before its closure.
I agree with the cobblestones as an institution being preserved but don’t see a problem with the Merchants arch shops being redeveloped.
DCC are running rampant we must stop this madness
In 20 years they’ll ‘reconstruct’ as retro tourist spot e.g. Temple Bar
It’s not as if these developments are works of genius design merit or something vaguely cultural, Just another soulless cookie cutter brick and glass boxes with black trims and called The Cobble or some other shite
Bernie Mc Donagh at the cobblestone, a night I will never forget, the jimi hendrix of tin whistlers!
Never heard of the place.
@Raymond Barry: yes you have.
The main reason for this development at merchants arch is to increase the size of the existing pub the full length of the laneway including the corner onto the square. Boutique hotel usually means small amout of rooms which will be let on airbnb. Development also to include basement to further increase size of pub.
With the top of crown alley clised now for nearly 3 yrs with central bank development, the laneway at arch will have to close to demolish the buildings there.
We will be lucky if there are any traders etc open on crown alley soon.
have your say