Potential to create a special boutique hotel using the name Vicar Street Hotel is being offered with the sale of a site with full planning permission next to the famous Vicar Street venue. The site is on the market seeking in excess of €12 million.
With a seated capacity of 1,050, Vicar Street, developed by entrepreneur Harry Crosbie, has been Irish music venue of the year five times between 2008-2019. Whoever develops the next-door hotel will be able to offer access to premium tickets for guests.
The planning permission covers a 185-bedroom hotel with a rooftop bar and restaurant with outdoor terrace in the uber-trendy Dublin 8 area and within walking distance of all Dublin’s major tourist attractions.
The hotel developer will have an opportunity to collaborate with the music venue and benefit from the use of the registered name, Vicar Street Hotel, while also offering a VIP Club for artists playing at Vicar Street, with the potential use of the facility for pre- and post-gig parties.
Links between the hotel and the venue are to be strengthened through the promotion of a “Rock and Room” concept for visitors.
In addition, artists and their entourages when booking the venue will be offered premium room packages, building a reputation and association between the hotel and major international stars. The Vicar Street Hotel brand is to be included in all of the music venue’s media promotions.
The Liberties
Vicar Street is at the centre of The Liberties, one of Dublin’s most historic and vibrant areas which dates back to the 10th century. The Liberties has witnessed significant new construction and redevelopment in recent years, predominantly in the form of hotels, purpose-built student accommodation, residential schemes and office buildings.
Two notable development schemes in the immediate area are the regeneration of Newmarket Square and Guinness’ St James’s Quarter. Both schemes have a combined commercial value of more than €1 billion and are set to support a range of independent retailers, digital and media start-ups, small enterprises and also enhance the tourism and hospitality offering.
Dublin 8 was recently lauded by Time Out magazine, which described it as “capturing the essence and charm of the Irish capital to a tee”. Dublin 8 ranked higher than neighbourhoods in Amsterdam, Sydney, Vancouver and Paris.
Alexandra Sheeran, senior analyst with selling agents CBRE, said the focus of much of the commercial opportunities in Dublin city centre is now firmly fixed in the Dublin 8 area and the proposed hotel would be at the centre of that.
“The Vicar Street Hotel site is an exclusive opportunity for parties to develop a boutique/lifestyle hotel in one of Dublin’s most vibrant and developing areas,” she said. “ There is strong demand for Dublin city centre hotel development opportunities that have been offered for sale recently and we continue to see strong pent-up demand from international parties looking to invest in Dublin.”
