The new owners of well-known McSorley’s pub in Ranelagh are finalising a deal to take over the Wild Goose restaurant space above the pub, with a view to making it a seven-days-a-week food and drinks business.
In an interview with Inside Business, a podcast by The Irish Times, publican Noel Anderson, the managing director of Grand Slam Bars, said: “Our plan would be to grow it more as a seven day a week business. We’ve just done a deal with the guy who runs a restaurant upstairs. We’re taking that back, the deal is just being finalised.
“We plan on putting our own food into it, growing the food trade there, growing the cocktail trade and having a super events space upstairs. We’re excited about that.”
He said the fit-out would cost hundreds of thousands of euro. “But I think it will be worth it. We own the building, it’s a long-term investment and we’re excited about what the future holds in Ranelagh.”
The restaurant is currently occupied by the Wild Goose Grill, which is slated to close at the end of March. McSorley’s was purchased for €5.5 million in the middle of last year by Grand Slam Bars, which is owned by Mr Anderson and former Irish rugby internationals, Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien.
They also own The Bridge 1859 in Ballsbridge, the Blackrock pub, and the Lemon & Duke and Little Lemon venues in the city centre. The group employs more than 200 staff with combined revenues of about €11 million, Mr Andseron said.
Food makes up about €4m million a year of its turnover. “Food is a big part of what we do now and that’s probably a lot of where the future lies,” he said.
Mr Anderson is also a shareholder in the Changing Times Brewery, which is making local stout and lager.
Mr Anderson said McSorleys would continue be a “late focused” bar but having the space upstairs. “What’s exciting for us is that on big rugby days you will get business all day and all night as well,” he said.
