The Virgin Mary bar on Dublin's Capel Street has opted to shut its doors for good after four years in business as ‘spiralling costs’ left owners with no alternative.
The alcohol-free venue opened its doors in 2019 as the first of its kind in Ireland to only serve non-alcoholic drinks like mocktails, beers and wines.
This comes as more and more cost increases as a result of inflation continue to lead to many closures as businesses struggle with the financial pressure.
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Skyrocketing prices played a major role in the downfall of the Virgin Mary bar and a representative for the venue told the Sunday Times that "spiralling costs were a big factor for us".
The bar was popular with health-conscious punters, those who were strictly sober and as a great venue for baby showers.
The bar came along at a tough time, just one year before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Virgin Mary’s closure comes after another Dublin business had to shut due to the rising cost of energy bills for businesses.
Mosh Burger had to close its doors after just six months in business, and the owner, Alex Silva, said that their decision was made due to a combination of things - the energy crisis and spiralling costs - which 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 said energy costs were putting a serious strain on the business and Mosh Burger even received an energy bill for a staggering €5,000 back in January 2023.
Alex also said some of the essential ingredients, such as mayonnaise and ketchup, have gone up considerably in cost since the business opened last year.
They were initially paying €23 for 10 litres of mayonnaise, but the price then shot up to €32.
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