Latest news with #ArchitecturalConservationArea
The Journal
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
McDonald's on Dublin's O'Connell Street is getting a makeover
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has given the green light for a makeover of McDonald's flagship outlet on Dublin's O'Connell Street. In granting planning permission, the city council has ordered that planned pigeon protection spikes to the upper floors be omitted for the fast food giant's outlet. The Council has also ordered proposed illuminated projecting signage shall be omitted and that the 'M' logo within the glazing at lower mezzanine level of the restaurant not be permitted. The Council granted planning permission to McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd after concluding that the works 'would be acceptable, and would have no undue adverse impact on the visual amenities of the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA)'. McDonald's was proposing the pigeon spikes to combat pigeon guano or bird droppings as a conservation report stated that guano 'is both unsightly and introduces salts into porous historic building materials'. On the move to omit the pigeon spikes, the 10-page council report states that notwithstanding the rationale for the pigeon spikes, the Council's Conservation Section raised concerns over the addition of spikes which they consider 'would detract from the historic façade'. The planning permission for the upgrade of McDonald's on 62 O'Connell Street Upper – first opened in 1979 – follows McDonald's securing planning permission for two new drive-thru restaurants in Mullingar in Co Westmeath and Waterford retail park at Butterstown, Co Waterford. Advertisement However, the Co Westmeath and Co Waterford permissions are currently before An Bord Pleanála on appeal. In a planning report for the revamp of the O'Connell Street outlet in Dublin, chartered town planners Downey stated that the site is surrounded by retail shops and similar fast-food restaurants. The report stated that 'as such the existing McDonald's restaurant is considered a complementary use to the other existing units along the prominent streetscape of O'Connell Street'. The planning report stated that the proposed development 'seeks to improve the overall integrity and character of the building and add to the historic streetscape, through various material upgrades to the existing eastern/front elevation'. The planning report stated that the McDonald's building 'is a Protected Structure and as such no works are being proposed which will affect or materially alter the structure or character of the existing building'. The report stated that the application is being submitted in order to improve the quality and presentation of the building at 62 O'Connell Street Upper, by providing updated and improved window, fascia, and signage. The owner of the McDonald's building at 62 O'Connell Street Upper, The Pillar Ice Cream Parlour Ltd lodged a letter with the Council giving its consent for the plans to be lodged. Accounts filed earlier this year show that pre-tax profits at McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd decreased by 16% in 2023 to €36.32 million as revenues rose by 6% from €80.56m to €85.65 million.
RTÉ News
14-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Green light for McDonalds O'Connell Street flagship make-over
Dublin City Council has given the green light for a makeover of McDonald's flagship outlet on Dublin's O'Connell Street. But in granting planning permission, the City Council has ordered that planned pigeon protection spikes to the upper floors be omitted for the fast food giant's outlet. The Council has also ordered proposed illuminated projecting signage shall be omitted and that the "M" logo within the glazing at lower mezzanine level of the restaurant not be permitted. The Council granted planning permission to McDonalds Restaurants of Ireland Ltd after concluding that the works "would be acceptable, and would have no undue adverse impact on the visual amenities of the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA)". McDonalds was proposing the pigeon spikes to combat pigeon guano or bird droppings as a conservation report stated that guano "is both unsightly and introduces salts into porous historic building materials". On the move to omit the pigeon spikes, the 10 page council report states that notwithstanding the rationale for the pigeon spikes, the Council's Conservation Section raised concerns over the addition of spikes which they consider "would detract from the historic façade". The planning permission for the upgrade of McDonald's on 62 O'Connell Street Upper - first opened in 1979 - follows McDonalds securing planning permission for two new drive-thru restaurants in Mullingar in Co Westmeath and Waterford retail park at Butterstown, Co Waterford. However, the Co Westmeath and Co Waterford permissions are currently before An Bord Pleanála on appeal. In a planning report for the revamp of the O'Connell Street outlet in Dublin, chartered town planners Downey stated that the site is surrounded by retail shops and similar fast-food restaurants. The report stated that "as such the existing McDonald's restaurant is considered a complimentary use to the other existing units along the prominent streetscape of O'Connell Street". The planning report stated that the proposed development "seeks to improve the overall integrity and character of the building and add to the historic streetscape, through various material upgrades to the existing eastern/front elevation". It also stated that the McDonald's building "is a Protected Structure and as such no works are being proposed which will affect or materially alter the structure or character of the existing building". The report stated that the application is being submitted in order to improve the quality and presentation of the building at 62 O'Connell Street Upper, by providing updated and improved window, fascia, and signage. The owner of the McDonald's building at 62 O'Connell Street Upper, The Pillar Ice Cream Parlour Ltd, lodged a letter with the Council giving its consent for the plans to be lodged. Accounts filed earlier this year show that pre-tax profits at McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd decreased by 16% in 2023 to €36.32m as revenues rose by 6% from €80.56m to €85.65m.
Irish Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
McDonald's to renovate its flagship outlet in Dublin city centre
In granting planning permission, the city council has ordered that planned pigeon protection spikes on the upper floors are omitted for the fast-food giant's outlet. The council has also ordered proposed illuminated projecting signage shall be omitted and that the 'M' logo within the glazing at lower mezzanine level of the restaurant would not be permitted. The council granted planning permission to McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd after concluding that the works 'would be acceptable, and would have no undue adverse impact on the visual amenities of the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA)'. McDonald's was proposing the pigeon spikes to combat pigeon guano or bird droppings as a conservation report stated that guano 'is both unsightly and introduces salts into porous historic building materials'. On the move to omit the pigeon spikes, the 10-page council report states that notwithstanding the rationale for the pigeon spikes, the council's conservation cection raised concerns over the addition of spikes which they consider 'would detract from the historic façade'. The planning permission for the upgrade of McDonald's on 62 O'Connell Street Upper – first opened in 1979 – follows McDonald's securing planning permission for two new drive-thru restaurants in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and at Waterford Retail Park in Butterstown, Co Waterford. However, the Co Westmeath and Co Waterford permissions are currently before An Bord Pleanála on appeal. In a planning report for the revamp of the O'Connell Street outlet in Dublin, chartered town planners Downey stated that the site is surrounded by shops and similar fast-food restaurants. The report stated that 'the existing McDonald's restaurant is considered a complimentary use to the other existing units along the prominent streetscape of O'Connell Street'. The planning report stated that the proposed development 'seeks to improve the overall integrity and character of the building and add to the historic streetscape, through various material upgrades to the existing eastern/front elevation'. ADVERTISEMENT The McDonald's building is a protected structure and the firm said 'no works are being proposed which will affect or materially alter the structure or character of the existing building'. The report stated that the application is being submitted in order to improve the quality and presentation of the building at 62 O'Connell Street Upper, by providing updated and improved window, fascia and signage. The owner of the McDonald's building – The Pillar Ice Cream Parlour Ltd – lodged a letter with the council giving its consent for the plans to be lodged. Accounts filed earlier this year show that pre-tax profits at McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd decreased by 16pc in 2023 to €36.32m as revenues rose by 6pc from €80.56m to €85.65m.
Irish Examiner
01-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Premier Inn's Irish revenues rise 85% to €35m
Premier Inn owner the Whitbread Group reported a 14% drop in its annual profit, hurt by rising costs of living and a growth revival strategy that targeted underperforming restaurants. The company operates six hotels in Ireland, five in Dublin and one in Cork, with plans to open a second Cork hotel on the site of the Coliseum. The UK company reported an adjusted pretax profit of £483m (€563.1m) for the year ended February 27, down from last year's £561m (€660m). In Ireland, revenues rose to £29.6m (€34.8m) in the year to the end of February compared to £16m (€18.8m) the year before. The company, which owns more than 900 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Germany, is facing significant headwinds in its core UK market as high inflation and rising living costs have led to consumers cutting back on discretionary spending. The company is closing 238 underperforming branded restaurants and turning them into hotel rooms to combat weak growth at its UK inns. Premier Inn opened a new hotel on Cork's Morrison's Island in January 2024. The company also acquired the former Colliseum cinema and gaming centre on the city's Brian Boru Street for €5.5m. In December, Cork City Council planners ordered Premier Inn to go back to the drawing board for their plans to build a 173-bed hotel on the site. Planners on Cork City Council rejected the Premier Inn design for a new hotel on the site of the Coliseum. Planners said the proposed design would result 'in a large generic block', at odds with the surrounding historic environment. That environment includes the Victorian buildings of MacCurtain St's Architectural Conservation Area (ACA); the former postal sorting office, a protected structure on Brian Boru St and Trinity Presbyterian Church at the bottom of Summerhill North, also a protected structure as well as a local landmark building. Read More Kerry Group sees revenues rise despite heightened market uncertainty
