Planning lodged to replace iconic Dublin beer garden with hotel rooms

You’d think we were all hotelled out at this stage but apparently not.

The Holiday Inn Express on O’Connell Street has proposed a plan to replace the courtyard currently used by Fibbers, the Living Room and Murrays.

The proposal would see a seven storey extension located within the courtyard, providing an additional 103 hotel rooms.

The plan was shared this week by Irish Twitter page Urban Living Dublin, who have encouraged anybody angry about it to “translate this anger into action” and oppose the proposal through the Dublin City Council WEBSITE.

Holiday Inn Express on O'Connell Street is looking to remove this internal courtyard, used by Fibbers, the Living Room and Murrays, to expand the hotel. More loss of nightlife space. Because why would visitors to Dublin want to have any craic? Ref: 3200/22https://t.co/2DQyH1ZkfT pic.twitter.com/J4mXLvjdXF

— Urban Living Dublin (@duburbans) February 14, 2022

The Twitter page also shared screenshots from C+W O’Brien architects, detailing the design proposal and site analysis. No information for the Holiday Inn’s proposed extension is available on the C+W website as of today (16th), but the screenshots shared by Urban Living read:

At the back of the hotel is located an outdoor area connecting three pubs. This is a beer garden used day and night by the adjacent pubs – The Living Room, Murrays Pub and Fibber Magees. 

It has sitting tables, food trucks and big screens to watch matches. It can be very busy and noisy during the weekend. Although enjoyed by many, it’s been a nuisance to guests and residents in the courtyard. The area is owned by the Holiday Inn Express but its on a lease that is set to expire soon, making an ideal time to expand the hotel. 

The courtyard, which has been used and loved by generations of Dubliners is a well known spot for watching matches, catching a bitta fresh air after gigs and generally enjoying the buzz of Dublin city nightlife. And if there are two groups you don’t want to come up against, it’s the GAA heads and diehard Dublin rockers. Together, they’ll hopefully create a force powerful enough to protect this iconic space.

Header image via Instagram/thelivingroomdublin

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