Former Bank of Ireland building in Cork town to become cafe and retail space

Cork County Council has granted permission for the former Bank of Ireland in Cobh to be turned into a cafe and retail space.

The Cobh bank was one of nine Cork branches which closed in October 2021, and the terraced four storey building on 18 Roger Casement Square is a protected structure.

The council granted Harbour Roots Limited permission for change of use from banking/financial with ancillary office space to mixed use including a shop, cafe and offices.

The plans are for a ground floor retail unit and cafe, toilets, goods storage and staff areas. On the first floor there will be three office spaces, a new bathroom serving the offices and staff facilities for the ground floor.

The second floor is to have two office spaces, a meeting room, another new bathroom and more staff facilities, while the third floor will be home to a further two office spaces, an office canteen room, bathroom and cleaners store.

Building works will consist of the reinstatement of the front entrance door in place of existing front window, internal alterations to existing layout on all floors, removal of a non-original raised roof light to flat roof to rear, and reinstating roof lights to the building's roof.

There will also be external works including refurbishing the front façade by cleaning, painting and removal of recent external lights and fittings, and the addition of new external lighting, signage and refurbishment of existing timber sash windows.

Permission was granted by the council subject to 15 conditions.