‘I have invested my life and soul into this for nine years', says owner as Clockwork Door closes
As one of the few late-night sober venues in Dublin city centre, The Clockwork Door offered customers a mix of board games, a café, study spaces, a hostel common room, a lecture hall, and escape rooms.
Announcing the closure earlier this week, Mr Hogan said: 'The Clockwork Door is closing forever. It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce The Clockwork Door is to cease operations from Monday, June 2.'
Mr Hogan also bemoaned the fact 'there is no culture, no vibe left in the city. The streets have become hostile'.
The businessman also highlighted the mugging and assault of one of his staff members in late 2024 and the burglary of his venue during Culture Night in 2022.
'Every incident like this just reinforces the perception that the city isn't safe,' he said.
He also cited a lack of support for small businesses.
'In almost nine years of operation, we have never once been reached out to, or offered support by any other groups or organisations,' he said.
'We're paying our rates every year, more and more, and what do we get out of it? Less and less. Right now I would tell any young entrepreneurs, Dublin is not the city. Go somewhere else.'
Despite sales of non-alcoholic drinks enjoying a surge in popularity, sober venues are few and far between in the city.
'There's very little in Dublin to do for non-alcoholics these days,' Mr Hogan said.
'Young teenagers and 20-somethings don't want to drink, but there is no non-alcoholic entertainment out there.
'We're having a huge cultural issue in Dublin right now and all over Ireland. I tried to create a space for everyone and to offer something new and innovative.'
Mr Hogan, originally from Clontarf, will take time out to rest before his next move.
'I've been doing this for a long time and not paying myself for it. I have invested my life and soul into this for nine years,' he said.
'Now I'm going to take some time out because the economy isn't looking strong. I don't know what field I will go into, but it won't be starting my own business.'
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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘This really breaks my heart' say fans as popular Irish spot ‘closes forever' after nine years in business
A POPULAR Irish spot has "closed forever" after nine years in business - leaving fans devastated. The Clockwork Door ceased its operations on Monday, June 2. Advertisement The owner of the location, Ciaran Hogan, announced the immediate closure of his business, citing a 'changing city centre' and a 'hard economy'. It was popular as one of the only sober venues left in The Clockwork Door offered customers a choice of board games, a café, study spaces, a hostel common room, a lecture hall, and escape rooms to use. In a post on Advertisement The sober venue has a 4.8 rating on Tripadvisor with many reviews singing their praises. Many fans shared their upset with the sudden closure of The Clockwork Door in the comments on their post. One local said: "This really breaks my heart. Thank you for being the first space in Dublin I got to create my own show in! "You've been such an important establishment and meeting point where many people have created new memories and found friendships. It's really sad to see this post." Advertisement Most read in Money Another echoed: "We all loved this place. Thank you so much." The owners shared their deepest regrets to their fans in a post captioned: "The Clockwork Door is closing forever. Major pharmacy chain confirms all 178 locations in same state will close down for good after second bankruptcy filing "It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce The Clockwork Door is to cease operations from Monday 2nd June 2025. "We have been a hub for social events and interactions for 9 years. Advertisement "Each and every day we have given our love and soul to the great vibe in this place and created friendships that will long outlast us. "As one of the few Sober venues in Dublin we have helped many people enjoy socialising and discovering sobriety. "We have seen relationships and marriages start here. We have held the greatest of games, to thrills of a dice roll, the stories told, the music played, and the love found. "We pioneered the concept of Time House in Ireland; we're so proud of all that. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun "This closure isn't due to any one cause but 1000 small factors. We have seen Dublin change massively in our years and unfortunately in a way that doesn't suit for small businesses "Goodbye with love, The Clockwork Door." 2 The Clockwork Door has closed for good Credit: Instagram 2 The venue is one of the many small businesses to close this year Credit: Advertisement
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
‘I have invested my life and soul into this for nine years', says owner as Clockwork Door closes
As one of the few late-night sober venues in Dublin city centre, The Clockwork Door offered customers a mix of board games, a café, study spaces, a hostel common room, a lecture hall, and escape rooms. Announcing the closure earlier this week, Mr Hogan said: 'The Clockwork Door is closing forever. It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce The Clockwork Door is to cease operations from Monday, June 2.' Mr Hogan also bemoaned the fact 'there is no culture, no vibe left in the city. The streets have become hostile'. The businessman also highlighted the mugging and assault of one of his staff members in late 2024 and the burglary of his venue during Culture Night in 2022. 'Every incident like this just reinforces the perception that the city isn't safe,' he said. He also cited a lack of support for small businesses. 'In almost nine years of operation, we have never once been reached out to, or offered support by any other groups or organisations,' he said. 'We're paying our rates every year, more and more, and what do we get out of it? Less and less. Right now I would tell any young entrepreneurs, Dublin is not the city. Go somewhere else.' Despite sales of non-alcoholic drinks enjoying a surge in popularity, sober venues are few and far between in the city. 'There's very little in Dublin to do for non-alcoholics these days,' Mr Hogan said. 'Young teenagers and 20-somethings don't want to drink, but there is no non-alcoholic entertainment out there. 'We're having a huge cultural issue in Dublin right now and all over Ireland. I tried to create a space for everyone and to offer something new and innovative.' Mr Hogan, originally from Clontarf, will take time out to rest before his next move. 'I've been doing this for a long time and not paying myself for it. I have invested my life and soul into this for nine years,' he said. 'Now I'm going to take some time out because the economy isn't looking strong. I don't know what field I will go into, but it won't be starting my own business.'
Dublin Live
4 days ago
- Dublin Live
Beloved Dublin venue 'closing forever' saying 'it's harder to stay afloat in this economy'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A popular Dublin space has closed its doors forever in a heartbreak to customers. The Clockwork Door on Wellington Quay was the first ever "time house" in Ireland when it opened in 2016. The coworking space quickly went on to become a popular spot for booze-free social events. The pay-per-minute venue boasted a fabulous selection of board games, study spaces, and meeting rooms with unlimited snacks and drinks. An emotional message on Facebook said: "The Clockwork Door is Closing forever. It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce The Clockwork Door is to cease operations from Monday 2nd June 2025. "We have been a hub for social events and interactions for 9 years. Each and every day we have given our love and soul to the great vibe in this place and created friendships that will long outlast us. "As one of the few Sober venues in Dublin we have helped many people enjoy socialising and discovering sobriety. We have seen relationships and marriages start here. We have held the greatest of games, to thrills of a dice roll, the stories told, the music played, and the love found. We pioneered the concept of Time House in Ireland; were so proud of all that. "This closure isn't due to any one cause but 1000 small factors. We have seen Dublin change massively in our years and unfortunately in a way that doesn't suit for small businesses. "It is getting harder to stay afloat in this hard economy. Something has to change soon, this city is dying; one closure at a time." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
