Fifteen of Dublin's biggest nightclubs and late-night venues have had their opening hours curtailed by up to an hour, after gardaí expressed concern about public order problems in the capital. Carl O'Brien reports.
Dancing in the venues, which include Spirit nightclub on Middle Abbey Street, the Ambassador on O'Connell Street and the Point Depot, must now cease at 2.30 a.m. instead of 3.30 a.m. Alcohol, however, may be served until 3 a.m. instead of 3.30 a.m. They were able to operate later than usual because they held theatre licences, a practice which Garda sources have viewed as a "loophole" in the licensing law.
Some nightclub owners affected by the decision reacted angrily to the ruling and are planning to lodge appeals to the Circuit Court.
Spirit's venue promoter, Mr Brian Spollen, said: "This is terrible. It's been forced upon us without any consultation by the gardaí. There is no evidence to suggest we're causing a public order problem.
"We've had an agreement with the gardaí about closing hours since January this year, and we knew nothing about this. It's going to have a massive impact on us." Spirit employs about 100 people and Mr Spollen said they would have to review the impact of the curtailed trading hours before determining whether job losses will result.
While latest statistics suggest the number of public order offences is dropping, gardaí yesterday said there were still "pockets" in the city where it was an ongoing problem.
Supt Ray Barry of Store Street Garda Station said: "This measure will also help to bring a degree of uniformity to the licensing area, while there are still public order issues in certain areas."
Garda sources have expressed concern at the ongoing "abuse" of the licensing law by sections of the nightclub industry, using theatre licences to allow them to serve alcohol until as late as 4 a.m.
Supt Barry declined to say whether he felt theatre licences were being abused, but said: "Theatres like the Abbey and Peacock have theatre licences, but do not operate beyond 2 a.m. so I think that speaks for itself."
While there are up to 800 nightclub or late-night venues in Dublin, it is estimated that there are just over 20 venues which use theatre licences.
Fears expressed earlier this week by the nightclub industry that gardaí were planning to enforce a 1.30 a.m. closing time for all city nightclubs proved unfounded.
Nightclubs with ordinary licences must continue to stop serving at 2.30 a.m., with half an hour's drinking-up time.
Other venues with theatre licences affected by yesterday's ruling include the Gaiety and Olympia theatres, the Viperroom on Aston Quay, Angels lapdancing club on Leeson Street and the Barclay Club on South William Street.