Avoca will reopen its Dublin city centre outlet on Friday for the first time in more than 18 months. The store, restaurant and food market was shuttered during the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 and had remained closed ever since.

The food and lifestyle luxuries retailer, which is owned by New York-listed catering giant Aramark, said it had revamped the Suffolk Street store in recent months and introduced safety measures to help manage the numbers occupying the building at any one time.

"The last 18 months across the retail sector has been very challenging for many, but the support from our customers throughout this duration has been incredible and we are so excited to welcome our staff and customers back," said Avoca's director of marketing, creative and buying Maoliosa Connell.

The retailer, which now comprises 13 stores, was first established as a handweaving company in Avoca, Co Wicklow, in 1723. It was sold to Aramark by the Pratt family in 2015.