Harry Crosbie welcomes Vicar Street 'rock and room' hotel as Council grants planning

Gordon Deegan

The planned four-star 182-bedroom Vicar Street ‘Rock and Room’ concept hotel for Dublin’s Liberties “will be a huge addition to the area”.

Businessman Harry Crosbie, who is behind the plan, welcomed Dublin City Council’s planning permission for the scheme, despite receiving 40 objections including one from a senior Augustinian priest, Fr Paddy O’Reilly, Prior at John’s Lane Church, Dublin 8.

In his objection, Fr O’Reilly told the city council that “the Liberties area is being saturated with hotel and student accommodation developments which is displacing families and this long established proud community is under siege”.

The council has granted planning permission to Mr Crosbe’s Vicar Street Hotel Ltd for the eight-storey hotel after concluding the proposal will not seriously injure the residential amenities of neighbouring dwellings or the amenities of the area.

The planner’s report said the hotel “has the potential to form an intrinsic part of the Vicar Street Venue” and the hotel and venue complement each other.

Mr Crosbie has been trying to construct a hotel at the site since 2008 when planning permission was first approved.

However, the global economic collapse which quickly followed and the Covid-19 pandemic have stalled the businessman’s efforts.

On Thursday Mr Crosbie said: “'The area is in desperate need of light and footfall especially at night when Vicar Street is not open."

Mr Crosbie said: “Vicar Street is hugely successful and has a completely sold out calendar for the next six months. The venue punches above its weight and is much loved in the industry and people will love the ‘rock and room’ offer at the hotel.”

One of the 16 conditions attached to the permission states that the applicant pay a development contribution of €769,595 to the Council towards public infrastructure.