Anger as cellars of historic guild hall are turned into pub, thanks to An Taisce
Council votes to revoke lease on landmark building in Dublin’s Liberties
THE agency tasked with conserving historic buildings is at the centre of a political row over its decision to allow a section of a 300-year-old former guild hall to be turned into a pub.
The controversial decision by An Taisce to allow the change of use for Tailors’ Hall, in the heart of Dublin’s Liberties, has sparked a huge backlash from local councillors, culminating in a vote in favour of the lease being revoked.
Tailors’ Hall is owned by Dublin City Council but is currently on a 99-year lease to the conservation charity. It is the oldest of just two surviving guild halls in the capital.
The old Tailors’ Guild building, near the Iveagh Markets, was also a meeting place for the revolutionary United Irishmen and a former headquarters of An Taisce.
It fell into disrepair and had become uninhabitable by the mid-20th century before the Irish Georgian Society launched a restoration campaign in 1966.
‘The change is an absolute outrage’
The campaign raised thousands of pounds, and the following year Dublin City Council approved a lease to the Tailors’ Hall Fund Ltd for 99 years at an annual rent of one shilling (one-twentieth of a pound).
A condition of the lease was that the building would be used for ‘exhibitions, lectures and concerts’.
However, An Taisce has come under fire for its decision to sublet the basement and ground floor to Liberties Renaissance Ltd, which has opened a pub and beer garden on the site. The move has angered local councillors, who recently voted in favour of a motion to revoke the lease to An Taisce and instead make the historic building ‘available for community use within the area which is in great need of community facilities’.
The motion also noted: ‘The disposal of this building and the change of this building to public house is an absolute outrage. It was done in a non-transparent way without the knowledge of councillors who have a reserve function in all aspects of property disposals and subleases of such properties.’
It emerged at the meeting that the council agreed, in a letter dated March 10, 2022, to allow An Taisce to sub-lease part of the building to Liberties Renaissance.
However, the move to open a licensed premises and beer garden on the site has provoked a strong political backlash.
Independent councillor Vincent Jackson said he could not understand how An Taisce was allowed
‘to hand the building over they got for a specific purpose… to protect the built heritage of our country, to a private pub operator.’
Another Independent councillor, Sophie Nicoullaud, said: ‘Giving this building to a profit-making private company is just not good.’
However, Dublin City Council appears to be reluctant to rescind the lease, saying in response to the
vote that ‘consent of a sub-lease does not require the approval of the elected members’.
The council also said its planning enforcement section is investigating the matter.
In a letter to another Independent councillor, Mannix Flynn, an official warned: ‘As this is a live investigation, it’s an ongoing investigation, and the city council are not going to be making any decisions in relation to the lease or sub-lease until those investigations are fully completed.’
However, Mr Flynn told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘You cannot hide behind, you know, an administrative situation to say: “We’re not going to do anything because there’s an ongoing investigation.”’ Dublin City Council did not respond to queries from the MoS.
A spokesman for An Taisce told the MoS: ‘Last year Dublin City Council initiated a process of investigation in respect of the use of public areas within the Tailors’ Hall building which were the subject of a lease agreement between An Taisce and a third party for use as a café bar and events venue.
‘The council’s investigation found that some of the installations then in place and alterations made by the lessee went beyond the scope of what is allowed under existing terms of use in planning. ‘Accordingly, an enforcement order was issued and the area in use under that planning was closed to enable its restoration to a state of compliance.
‘While we have no direct input to, or control over, the activities that are the subject of that order, An Taisce is engaged closely with both parties – the council and the lease holder. ‘Our primary concern in doing so is to ensure that the use of Tailors Hall and any alterations made there to enable that use to adhere to and are fully compliant with planning regulations.
‘It is important to note that Tailor’s Hall remains, and has always been, fully available for use by the local community.’