Pub group JD Wetherspoon is to spend €15 million on its development of a “superpub” and 98-bedroom hotel in Dublin city centre.
The company is set to start work in February 2018, with the pub and hotel set to open early 2019.
Some 200 jobs will be created at the site, which is currently a row of derelict properties on Camden Street.
"We are looking forward to developing the site into a fantastic pub and hotel," said Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin on Monday.
“It will be the biggest single investment undertaken by Wetherspoon and will result in our largest hotel alongside a superb pub.
“Our pubs in the Republic of Ireland are thriving and we are confident that the pub and hotel will be a great asset to Dublin and act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the city.”
The pub will be set over two levels and will feature a beer garden. The company also said its hotel bedrooms will be equipped to accommodate people with disabilities.
A number of historical aspects of the derelict buildings will be retained and restored. These include a circular stained glass window which was crafted by Earley & Company.
The window on the façade of 5 Upper Camden Street is considered to be the work of John Earley – son of the founder of the company.
Convent
Part of the terrace was also a convent of the Little Sisters of the Assumption from 1890 until the 1940s. Their former chapel will be preserved and form part of the new pub and hotel.
The company said a fortnight ago that better than expected sales were set to lead to slightly improved trading for the year to July 30th. Mr Martin had previously warned the firm remained “cautious” over second-half trading due to surging costs.
The group also reiterated that like-for-like sales would need to rise by 3 per cent to 4 per cent in the new financial year to maintain profits. A further trading statement is due on July 12th.
Wetherspoon operates five pubs in the Republic – four in Dublin and one in Cork.
