Community spirit has played a big role in The Venue’s success on Strandhill’s Top Road for many years
STRANDHILL has seen a lot of change over the last couple of centuries.
Once a small village made up of locals and occasional visitors, Strandhill has blossomed thanks to its reputation for surfing, golfing, great food and great ice-cream.
While it’s boom in popularity is something which has happened in recent memory, the village is also rooted in tradition and this apparent in one of its great constants The Venue Bar & Restaurant.
The Venue has been the gem of the Top Road since it opened in 1880, then under the name Coles after its founder, Charles Cole.
The Venue welcomes a wide scope of customers to its premises every day ranging from the local trade to the tourists visiting the area as Carmel Feeney explained.
“We have great customers that come into us year in, year out. We are seeing generations of families coming into us, when I worked there we had toddlers coming in after Sunday mass, now those toddlers are grown up and bringing their own toddlers in with them so it is great to see that continuity.
“We also have a steady stream of new customers who visit us while they are in Strandhill for the likes of golf, surfing or walking around the Kilaspugbrone Loop, we have it all going on in Strandhill and we are delighted to be part of that.” potential, but the spirit of those living in Strandhill every day had a different view which ultimately proved to be far more accurate.
“When I bought The Venue 36 years ago we were going through a recession and I can even remember a time when some people might have considered Strandhill a lost cause, but we along with everyone else out here persevered through dif- ficult times and you see now what we have today because of that, the place has come on leaps and bounds and there’s still more potential there.” That sense of togetherness only strengthened the business community in the area according to Carmel who insists that, despite so much of the village’s main attractions being along the Shore Road, she never once felt The Venue needed to leave its original home, such is her strong belief in the community spirit of Strandhill to ensure business is always spread around.
“We have a strong business community in Strandhill. We pull together, look out for each other and in all honesty there’s never been a point where I felt The Venue should be closer to The Shore Road, I always liked the location we are in and people are happy to go out of their way to come up to us and enjoy a bit of a food and the views that come with it.”
The Venue welcomes families of all ages, meaning they cater to all tastes - there are many permanent favourites on the menu, but customers can also avail of seasonal specials for something different.
“It’s a family restaurant for all, that is our main customer base so we have to cater for every age group. There are plenty of favourites on our menu that different people enjoy, we are very aware of that, but people also like to come in and try something different and we always have a small range of specials on offer every day.”
Carmel extended her gratitude to staff and customers who supported The Venue for many years and is looking forward to welcoming custom, both familiar and new, for more years to come.
“I would like to thank all of our staff who are the making of the place and our wonderful customers, we couldn’t do what we do without them. We are so grateful to them for their continued support over the years.” The Venue Bar and Restaurant is open every day from 12.30pm until 9.30m. They can be contacted by calling 071 9168167.