Business as usual as popular Kilmore restaurant comes under new ownership

THE name over the door may have changed, but visitors to Pier 52 in Kilmore Quay can expect the same array of seafood and the same family-orientated atmosphere when they step inside the restaurant now operated by Niamh and Declan Devereux.

Previously called Quayside, Pier 52 has been taken over by the couple who have run the nearby Lick’d ice cream parlour since 2017.

“Once we took it over, we wanted to keep it the same; focus on seafood, on things like scampi, goujons, fish pies, chowder, hearty family food, we want to style ourselves as the home of the crab roll,” said Niamh.

“There’s a huge market for family-orientated restaurants, we have a kids menu and a new burger, the smash burger, which has proved a big hit.”

In addition to maintaining much of the same menu, Niamh and Declan have retained Quayside’s staff, including popular chefs Cilla and Carol Howlin. The only change with comes with the new ownership is that the deli once operated at the premises has been discontinued.

Since opening over the Easter weekend, Pier 52 has seen a steady stream of locals and tourists sampling its cuisine, either via sit-in or takeaway,

However, Niamh is acutely aware that theirs is a business which will rely heavily on seasonal trade.

“Taking it over was something we thought about long and hard, it’s a difficult time at the moment with the VAT rate going up but we’ve received massive support locally and once the caravan park opens up and the summer trade begins we’ ll hopefully become busy.”