Bank of Ireland closed its Howth branch on December 1st, 2000, as part of a "national branch reconfiguration programme" which will result in closure of 60 of the bank's 315 branches across the State by 2002. Howth was chosen because of its proximity to Sutton Cross, two miles away.
The reconfiguration programme is allied to the introduction of new banking technologies, mainly e-banking and Laser. "That is the future, it's progress that can't be stopped," according to a Bank of Ireland spokesman. While other branches have been converted to uses such as financial services offices, this will not happen in Howth, and the building will be sold, leaving just the ATM on the site.
Statoil shut its Howth operation on March 9th following a three-year negotiation with the Teeling family, who held a licence to run the business which expired in 1998. The company is now looking at the options open to it. These include reopening a petrol station. At the moment the site is not for sale.
Brendan Teeling, who ran the mechanic's garage attached to the Statoil premises, is currently looking for a new site, but it is unlikely that he will be able to relocate in Howth.
Texaco closed its operation in February. According to the company's marketing manager, Mr Paddy Gallagher, the licensee who ran it up to several months ago said it was "uneconomical". Petrol was essentially a loss leader with very low margins, and the garage shop wasn't making enough money to compensate. "If the shop did big business, we'd stay open", Mr Gallagher said.
The company is now "looking at future options", which may include selling the site.
Howth Lodge Hotel has been boarded up since it was closed two years ago when one of the country's biggest developers, Cosgrave Homes, bought the large site.
Two applications for permission to build an apartment complex have been turned down by the county council and defeated on appeal on the grounds of scale and density. There were also strenuous objections from nearby residents. The company is working on alternative proposals.
St Lawrence Hotel - the down-at-heel pastel and peeling hotel opposite the yacht club - was bought by third-generation Howth builder Denis Finn and a local entrepreneur, Datalex owner Neil Wilson, for £6 million. Their development company, Peninsula Building Ser vices, has received provisional planning permission for a £1520 million development of office space, a 22-bedroom hotel and 14 apartments.
Sutton Castle Hotel also closed recently. A planning application originally seeking permission for apartments alone, but subsequently amended to include a hotel, was refused recently, and so far no new application has been made.