September 2020 Licence Update

As has been the norm recently, licence files are being released with little of note in them

The only relevant change is a potentially significant removal of a pub which is known to be doomed to development, and I believe has not been trading since March despite having kitchens (and space), but I'm not going to say for certain that its not reopening - N0623 Bradys Castleknock Inn

RetroReviews: N0301 The Betsy

My visits here were two incarnations ago, when this was The Slaughtered Lamb - it has been Empire in between. 

I worked nearby, it was fairly normal on Fridays to go to The Harp after work; but it didn't have pool tables, which is where the Lamb came in. It was 2006, I can't really remember much more than that!

RetroReviews: N0241 Halfway House

I used to work with someone who was from a slightly earlier era of road warrior - that which predated there being hot delis in every petrol station. He had his personal list of what he considered to be the best carveries in every area of the country.

As a result, if I was working with him anywhere near Ashtown; we had to have lunch here. 

I'm not a huge fan of carveries. 

RetroReviews: N0213 Frank Ryan's

I've only been here once I think, which actually surprises me a bit. 

The event was a colleagues leaving party, and he picked here as they had Galway Hooker on tap which was his preferred drink at the time - this was quite some years ago, so there wasn't huge market penetration by any Irish craft producers yet. 

I'll go back, I'm sure - I've an outstanding Tekken Tag rematch in Token to play.

RetroReviews: N0191 Pantibar

Now a sufficient fixture on Dublin's gay scene that even Enda Kenny turned up there as a PR event; I was rather sceptical when it opened. GUBU, its previous incarnation, which I'd visited, hadn't done well enough to stop it being planned to be turned in to a CafeBarDeli (not that that chain lasted), the economy was definitely sniffling and Panti had no obvious experience running a bar. But I went early on regardless and have been there multiple times since.

Its still there 13 years later, which is basically geriatric in the lifespan of Dublin gay bars other than The George - there were some that lasted entire months in the early-mid 00s, with five months being how long Paddy McKillen Jr kept one open for in the 2010s. So I was very, very wrong. 

Its changed a bit over time - there's been multiple different setups downstairs mainly - but is overall much the same as in 2007. A sister venue, 1015498 Penny Lane, opened across the road in mid-2019.

RetroReviews: N0175 The Autobahn

I went to a friends 40th here. He's now over 50.

I really can't remember very much about it!

RetroReviews: N0145 Fagans

"Berties local", or so its claimed. I believe he now drinks in N0123 Beaumont House instead though.

I was in here once, in about 2005. Well, it was actually twice - in the same day. We were looking for somewhere to watch a football match, and Fagans claimed their satellite dish was "broken"; so we ended up watching it in Kennedys instead.

However, either Kennedys food menu didn't appeal or didn't exist that day for whatever reason, so we ended up in Fagans for food afterwards. Where they were showing another match. I did ask the barman how much the Saturday afternoon dish realignment cost!