Top London restaurants to open in Dublin

Two famous groups - Langan's Brasserie and Conran Restaurants - are opening restaurants in Dublin in the new year. Jack Fagan reports.

Two of London's best known restaurants are to open in Dublin in the new year.

Langan's Brasserie is to lease most of the ground floor of a newly-completed retail and office building at the junction of Mary's Abbey and Capel Street in Dublin 1.

In Dublin's docklands, Conran Restaurants has agreed terms to operate the main food franchise in the redeveloped Stack A which will trade as CHQ.

Conran is to rent 2,043 sq m (22,000 sq ft), making it one of the most spacious restaurants in the city.

Langan's will trade out of an area of 530 sq m (5,700 sq ft) close to the Four Courts.

The opening of two particularly large London-style restaurants at around the same time is expected to lead to a major shake-up of the restaurant business following claims that many outlets overcharge.

The arrival of the two high profile restaurants is likely to have an immediate impact on the Temple Bar area where many restaurants have already seen their turnover tumble because of a fall in the number of Irish people dining there.

Conran Restaurants has made a huge impact in London where it has 16 businesses including the Bluebird on Kings Road, Cantina del Ponte in the docklands, Quaglino's on Bury Street and the Zinc Bar and Grill in Fulham.

The group also has branches in Manchester and Edinburgh.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority, which is spending about €25 million on redeveloping the historic Stack A in the IFSC, is likely to be offering attractive concessions to Conran to bring it on board as an anchor tenant.

In the case of Langan's, there will be attractive tax breaks because the new premises is located in one of the last remaining urban renewal tax incentive schemes in the city centre. Otherwise Langan's will be paying a rent of around €425,000 for the high profile corner premises.

Langan's legendary restaurant off Piccadilly in London has been in business for the past 26 years, easily predating the group of restaurants set up by style and food guru Sir Terence Conran.

Originally the creation of wayward genius Peter Langan, the business called after him was an instant success socially but for a period could not maintain a consistent standard of food.

However, the day was saved by the recruitment of Richard Shepherd, at that time head chef at the highly respected Capital Hotel.

He pulled the kitchen together and became the driving force behind the expansion of Langan's Restaurant Group.

With its Anglo-French style of cuisine, it remains one of London's top restaurants to be seen in by celebrities and business people.

Langan's Dublin restaurant will be located in The Capel Buildings, a 22,296 sq m (240,000 sq ft) office and retail building now being completed by Sean Kelly's Benton Properties.

The company has already sold off 65 per cent of the office and retail space worth €63 million to owner-occupiers and investors who can avail of the tax incentives.

Most of the office units were bought by legal professionals because of their close proximity to the Four Courts as well as by tax consultants, accountancy practices and marketing/PR firms. The remaining office units are for sale at between €8,180-€8,503 per sq m (€760-€790 per sq ft) while retail outlets are costing from €12,917-€21,528 per sq m (€1,200-€2,000 per sq ft).

Tax concessions apply to all units and a minimum of 13 years is required to offset income tax liabilities against qualifying expenditure.