Dublin City Council has started to crack down on "permanent" outdoor dining areas in pubs, restaurants and cafes across the city which may result in establishments losing their licenses.
Alfresco dining became the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic due to public health advice warning against indoor social gatherings. To facilitate this, pubs, cafes and restaurants across the city put tables, chairs and barriers out on pavements.
DCC allowed establishments to set up these outdoor areas, which were a "complete lifesaver" for the industry, and apply retrospectively for street furniture licenses to cover them and some claim a "blind eye" was turned to minor breaches.
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The Government also enacted legislation which temporarily allowed hospitality venues to service punters food and drink outside their establishments. South William Street, Capel Street and Baggot Street all have popular outdoor dining areas.
However, DCC has started to engage with pubs, restaurants, and cafes recently informing many of them that their outdoor areas are in breach of planning laws. Due to safety concerns, many pubs fixed the barriers enclosing their outdoor areas to the ground to prevent them flying away in the wind.
The guidance for street furniture licenses does not permit this as it constitutes a development which requires full planning permission. DCC's guidance on street furniture reads: "Holes may not be made in the public road/footpath. No screens or furniture is to be bolted or fixed to the public footpath / Roadway. Permanent / semi-permanent structures are not permitted."
The guidelines also state all the street furniture must be brought inside the premises each evening which poses a huge challenge to small pubs that cannot fit their outdoor structure and furniture inside.
There are estimated to be 600 street furniture licences across Dublin so the implications of the crack down are set to be huge. In emails seen by Dublin Live, a city centre restaurant said their application to renew their license had been "held up" over their outdoor area.
The barriers of the area are held down by two fittings into the ground which goes against the rules but they maintain the structures and furniture are brought in every evening. The restaurant previously had screens blow down the street due to the wind and argue they are necessary for a comfortable meal.
Dublin Live understands many other establishments are also engaging with the Council on the issue. One hospitality source told Dublin Live: "DCC are very difficult, there is no contact. They are not accountable and then Dublin Town is very convenient for them because it keeps the businesses away from them.
"There are lots of [pubs, restaurants and cafes] getting the same thing. Everybody needs to be brought along with a move to make everything better."
DCC did not respond to Dublin Live's request for comment on the issue. Chief Executive of the Restaurant's Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins told Dublin Live they will be seeking a meeting with Dublin City Council "to have this fleshed out and spelt out to us in a transparent way".
Owner of the Drury Buildings restaurant and cocktail bar, on Drury Street near the trendy South William Street, Ronan Rogerson urged DCC to engage with businesses on the issue. He said: "The businesses are so thankful to Dublin City Council for providing us with the outdoor spaces.
"It has been a complete life saver. What we want to do now is we want to work together to create spaces that can bring energy, vitality and a bit of life back into the streets."
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