Derelict Drake Inn source of frustration in Finglas, cllr says

The derelict Drake Inn site in Finglas is the cause of “huge frustration” for many local people, says Independent councillor Noeleen Reilly.

The once popular pub and restaurant has been lying empty in the middle of Finglas village since it permanently closed down in 2009.

In recent years local residents and councillors have put pressure on Dublin City Council and the owners of the site to rejuvenate it, claiming that the dilapidated building is an eyesore and tarnishes the village.

The owners of the site, a Swiss real-estate company called Sarl Mush, submitted a planning application to the local authority earlier this year proposing to demolish the old pub and develop a six-storey building consisting of apartments, shops, and restaurants.

However, the company has so far failed to provide supporting documentation requested by the council before making its decision.

Reilly says that progress on redeveloping the site has been painfully slow.

“The Drake Inn used to be a focal point for local people in Finglas,” she said.

“It is in the heart of the village and people have many happy memories from frequenting there.

“What now stands is a derelict building making the village look neglected and unkept.”

The condition of the building is also hindering the work of the Tidy Towns committee, Reilly says.

“The volunteers from Finglas Tidy Towns do their utmost to improve Finglas Village and this building is tally hampering all their good work,” she says.

“The owner has put in several planning permissions and the current one which was lodged in March 2022 is still awaiting a decision due to them not responding to Dublin City Council seeing further information.”

The owners of the site have also accrued derelict site fees of €56,000 which have yet to be paid to the council.

“I requested back in 2019 that they be placed on the Derelict Site register in the hope that this would force them to do something with the land, but they are just ignoring all communications from DCC,” Reilly said.

“There are various opinions locally about what should go there but everyone is agreed that something needs to.

“It is my view that developers are only interested in building monstrosities and if they don’t get their way, they will just leave the land sitting there.

“There needs to be great penalties are any owner leaving land like this.”