STARBUCKS AND American food chain TGI Friday’s are to open in the former Bewley’s cafe on Westmoreland Street in “five to six weeks”, a Dublin City Council senior planner in the conservation section has confirmed.
Patricia Hyde said overall the news was “good for Westmoreland Street, which really needs a lift”. The fact that a coffee shop was opening in the former cafe site was positive.
It has been unoccupied since 2005.
The entire premises was bought by the Windward Group, which specialises in running hotels, in June last year. The first and upper floors have been refurbished and have opened as the Fleet Street Hotel since November.
The ground floor is being leased by brothers Colm and Ciarán Butler, who run the TGI Friday’s chain in Ireland and who also have a stake in Starbucks.
They already operate four TGI Friday’s – in St Stephen’s Green, Blanchardstown, Dundrum and Airside in Swords.
Ms Hyde yesterday visited the Westmoreland Street site, which is currently boarded up, and said she was happy that the integrity of the protected building was being respected.
“It’s something of a building site at the moment.”
Rewiring was the main activity there yesterday, she said, and the fabric of the interior was not being interfered with. Screen walls were being put over the original interior walls to hold lighting and signage.
Stained glass windows, some of which had been damaged in August, had now been removed and were in “safe storage”, she added.
While one by artist Pauline Bewick is to be reinstated, it is understood another, by Joshua Clark and believed to date back to 1890, is the property of the Bewley family and will not be reinstated.
Earlier reports have indicated TGI Friday’s will be to the rear of the premises, directly entered from Fleet Street, suggesting Starbucks will front on Westmoreland Street. The two will be linked within the premises.
The Bewley’s signage on Westmoreland Street, which is etched into the stonework, will be retained. “They have canopies in mind for the entrance with the Starbucks sign. They will have to come up with something very sympathetic, though. We don’t want the dignity of the building compromised.”
She said the senior planning enforcement officer in the council would meet the project architect this week to discuss progress.
Bewley’s cafe had been in business on Westmoreland Street from 1896 and on Fleet Street since 1905. It closed in 2005 and was bought in 2006 by Thedforde Trading for €26 million. It was back on the market in 2009 seeking €15 million. It is believed the Windward Group paid about €10 million for it.
