Cork city centre bar refused planning to retain outdoor seating area

Cork city centre bar Reardens of Washington Street has been refused planning to retain its outdoor seating area and to create a sheltered seating enclosure.

KMont Properties Holdings Limited, on behalf of Reardens, had sought permission from Cork City Council to retain its existing outdoor seating on Little Cross Street which grew in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The bar group lodged plans for the retention of the existing fixed awning structure and existing raised external seating area surrounded by a timber panel fence, stud wall and timber planters, and the installation of a new metal frame structure with fixed toughened glass panels to be fitted on top of the existing stud wall to create a sheltered seating enclosure.

Permission was refused by Cork City Council citing the location of the proposed development and development to be retained on an existing pedestrian footpath and a section of the public street as the reason for its decision.

Cork City Council said that both the existing and proposed development inhibit access for emergency services vehicles.

It said the development would endanger the safety of pedestrians and road users by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users.

Cork City Council also said the retention of the existing awning and the proposed outdoor seating arrangements “would have a negative visual impact” due to their location on Little Cross Street.

In a submission made to Cork City Council by Patrick O Toole of Meitheal Architects on behalf of publican Paul Montgomery who owns Dwyer’s of Cork which has temporary permission for its outdoor seating on the west side of Little Cross Street, Mr Montgomery said he “wholly supports public realm improvements to contemporise and enhance the city's hospitality offering” and asked that Cork City Council consider temporary permission for Reardens’ outdoor seating area, its duration to coincide with that of the Dwyer's temporary permission.

He said the Council can then, in time, on foot of coordinated city-wide policy objectives make an informed decision on long-term objectives for the micro and macro areas.

In another submission made to the Council, Uisce Éireann said it had no objection to the proposal based on the plans and particulars included in the planning application.

Reardens has been contacted by The Echo for comment.