Google seeks permission for pub at Bolands Mills

The Irish arm of internet giant Google has lodged plans for a Dublin 4 pub – but don’t expect Google staff to be pulling pints there anytime soon.

Google Ireland Ltd has lodged plans with Dublin City Council to change a permitted use of “retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace” to that of “public house” for the ground floor and lower ground floor of Unit 3 Building B at Google’s Bolands Mills campus on Ringsend Road, Dublin 4.

Planning consultant for Google Ireland, John Spain, told the council the application was being made “in response from active interest from a public house operator and a recent change in the tenancy mix to contribute to the overall vitality mix of the wider uses of Bolands Quay”.

The pub operator was not identified in the application documentation. Mr Spain said the pub use would “contribute to the evening economy and activity in the area”.

In the 13-page planning report, Mr Spain also said the public house use would “assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents”.

He said the proposed public house was “closely aligned with the permitted uses and will provide an additional use to enhance the viability of its function and the wider development”.

The total floor area under consideration is 660sq m.

Mr Spain said the wider development at the former Bolands Mills campus and 35/35A Barrow Street was under construction and nearing completion.

Mr Spain said the application was being brought forward in response to the interest of a prospective tenant at the unit and the proposed public house use “will also prevent the unit potentially being vacant when the development is completed”. There was an absence of an available tenant to occupy the unit under the permitted “retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace”, he said.

He said “the development is nearing completion and the applicant wishes that all available group floor uses to be occupied upon operation and opening”.

Mr Spain also said there were no physical changes to the protected structure proposed.

The application comes nine months after Google officially opened the first phase of its Bolands Mills development.

The historic Flour Mills building at the complex has been restored and adapted into a dedicated collaboration space for Google which purchased the mills in 2018.

The council is due to make a decision on the public house application towards the end of next month.