Blazing Salads, a popular lunchtime spot in George’s Street Arcade, held its last day of trading last Saturday, September 28.
“Time to say thank you and goodbye,” the owners said a statement, citing “rising food costs, rent, utilities, staff wages” and “people working from home affecting the lunchtime trade” in Dublin.
“We have enjoyed an amazing 40 years trading in Dublin city centre and would like to say thank you to the fantastic staff, suppliers, businesses and customers we have met along the way,” they added.
“Now it’s time for pastures new. Best wishes, Pamela, Lorraine, and Joe.”
Blazing Salads operated as a unique, independent, multi-award-winning, family-run vegetarian wholefood deli, originally on Drury Street before moving into George’s Street Arcade, sharing space with vegan burger joint, Flip.
The news comes as another blow to the city’s independent hospitality industry, with celebrity chef Dylan McGrath announcing the immediate closure of his two restaurants, Brasserie Sixty6 and Rustic Stone, back in August.
Another closure followed soon after this, when the popular Dublin dining spot and karaoke bar Ukiyo closed.
The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has been campaigning for increased support for hospitality businesses, with an average of “two restaurants, cafés, and other food-led businesses continuing to close each day” across the country.
According to the RAI, since last September, 577 food-led businesses have been “forced to close their doors for good”.
It blamed the rise in the VAT rate from 9pc to 13.5pc, which has left food-led hospitality businesses facing a “decision to either erode their competitiveness or take a 4.5pc hit to the bottom line” at a time when energy and food costs have already “exploded”.
