Will Robbie do Fox trot in his natural habitat again?
The Fox trot, anyone? The Fantastic Mr Fox could be returning. Robbie Fox — for it is he — told me that he would not rule out a return to his natural habitat — nightclubs — next year perhaps. Robbie, of course, ran the Pink Elephant nightclub from 1980 to 1987 and then Renards in the same venue in South Fredrick Street in Dublin from 1990 to 2009. Both clubs were, of course, a second home to the likes of Bono et al. Bellucci’s, Robbie’s hugely popular restaurant on Merrion Road, has been a second kitchen to the likes of Bono et al since it opened in 2011.
Indeed, when Robbie and his daughter Megan attended the U2 show at the 3 Arena last Tuesday night, the aforesaid Bono gave Robbie and his old club Renards a big shout-out from the stage. When I met Robbie he gave a recently departed friend a shout-out of his own...
“I was always happy to bump into John Reynolds — mostly in the courts — as he was a great one for ‘the gossip’ in the business. Although we had known each other over the years, I didn’t really get to know him until we set up the Nightclub Owners’ Association in the early 2000s. John had a wonderful and cynical sense of humour and we had many a laugh together. John was one of the nice guys and sad to say he exited far too early. He’ll be missed.”
Added another Bellucci’s regular, Guggi: “John was a truly beautiful, kind and generous man.”
As is Mr Fox. But that’s another tail.