'The cost of overheads had gone through the roof': Cork cafe closes after more than 30 years

A cafe which had been in business in Blackpool village for more than 30 years has closed due to mounting overheads and the community's ongoing vulnerability to flooding, its owner has told The Echo.

Dunlea’s cafe was operated by Bill Dunlea and his family since 1991 but it has now joined a long list of other food businesses in Cork city to close in the past year.

“The cost of overheads had gone through the roof, you know, electricity and gas,” said Mr Dunlea. 

“We’re there since 1991, thirty odd years – my wife ran it for the most part and then my son, Stephen, jumped in around ten years ago.

“But then we lost the post office in Blackpool – it moved to the shopping centre – and we lost 70% of our business overnight, people did their business in the post office and then went for a coffee locally.

“These things happen – then the flooding issue was a major disaster, that’s still not resolved.” 

His son Stephen still has a place in the Marina – also called Dunlea's, “That’s still going and will be for the foreseeable future,” said Mr Dunlea.

"We have been through a fair bit in Blackpool because it isn't getting help from anywhere, it's a disaster for a place [which] was booming one time."

Mr Dunlea said issues had been exacerbated by decisions relating to flood protection and a bypass which cut through the village.

"There is no joined up thinking in relation to flooding anywhere in Blackpool," he said.  

"I don't know how they're going to resolve it.

"It doesn't make for good business in there - people are keeping away from us."

The closure of the cafe was described as a "heart-breaking decision" by Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould.

"I want to wish Bill and all of his family well into the future. 

"His contribution not just to Blackpool’s economy but to the wider community has been huge. 

"I hope he continues to play a role in Blackpool’s future," the Cork North Central TD said. 

Mr Gould said more support was needed for small businesses in addition to flood relief works and a regeneration of Blackpool.