Dublin's only alcohol-free bar has shut its doors for good after just four years in business.
The Virgin Mary Bar on Capel Street opened its doors in 2019 and only served non-alcoholic drinks such as mocktails, beers and wines. The city centre closure comes as huge increases in the cost of running a business have resulted in many closures.
The sky rocketing costs played a factor in the demise of the Virgin Mary. A representative for the bar told the Sunday Times that “spiralling costs were a big factor for us”.
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The bar was popular with health-conscious punters, sober people and baby showers.
The bar had a tough start with the Covid-19 pandemic striking the year after they opened. Another business that had to close due to spiralling energy costs was Mosh Burger.
The burger joint had to close their doors after just six months in business. Owner Alex Silva said that a combination of factors, including the energy crisis and spiralling costs, left him with no alternative but to shut up shop.
Alex told Dublin Live: "Hiking costs made everything so hard. It was my first business and I was really eager to get a place open. In hindsight, I may have made the wrong decision."
He explained that energy costs put a particular strain on the business. Mosh Burger received an energy bill worth a staggering €5000 back in January, which Alex knew was unsustainable.
He also said certain ingredients, such as mayonnaise and ketchup, have gone up considerably in cost since the business opened last year. He was initially paying €23 for 10 litres of mayonnaise, but the price then shot up to €32.
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