School of Rock to open on Blackrock Main Street in April 2022!
School of Rock, a leader in performance-based music education, continues to expand internationally and has decided to branch into Ireland. Stephen Kennedy and Lloyd Gerry, franchise owners of School of Rock in Greenwich, CT, USA, will open four locations across Ireland over the next four years. The first school is set to open at 4 Main Street, Blackrock (formerly Savills) in April 2022. Building work is at an advanced stage and staff are being actively recruited. This is an very exciting and novel development for Blackrock!
School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 350 schools open, and in development, across 15 global markets. Since 2009 School of Rock has grown student count from 4,000 to over 35,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons, including guitar lessons, singing lessons and piano lessons.
New businesses flocking to Blackrock!
Times are a changing! Blackrock is fast becoming a destination not only for residents and visitors but also for top end hospitality. Some notable newcomers will be Michael’s Restaurant and the new iteration of the current Three Tun Tavern. Add to that Poulet Bonne Femme which will open in the two units near the back entrance to the Blackrock Village Centre (subject to planning permission) and we can see that Blackrock’s food and drink offering is growing by the day!
Michael's Restaurant coming to
Blackrock later this year
Gaz Smith owner of Michael’s in Mount Merrion will be opening his third restaurant in the Blackrock Village Centre later this year. A planning application has been lodged for an enclosed outdoor-dining terrace with a retractable roof, will be in the space previously occupied by Clodagh’s Kitchen and, more recently, Dunne & Crescenzi. The menu is at an early development stage but will follow the seafood-and-steaks model of his other businesses.
A 15-year lease has been taken on the premises, which is undergoing a complete refit. This all looks like Michael’s will be here to stay! A great addition to the Village!
Wetherspoons in Blackrock bought by high profile pub group
Recent reports suggest that a pub group co-owned by Noel Anderson, managing director of two high profile bars in Dublin, Lemon & Duke and Bridge 1859, and current and former Leinster Rugby players has agreed a deal to buy the Three Tun Tavern (Wetherspoons) for a price understood to be in excess of €2.5 million. A deal for the sale of the pub was agreed between the group and its current owner, the British pub chain JD Wetherspoon, before Christmas. This is an exciting purchase and promises to greatly enhance the night time economy in Blackrock with a quality offering.
Butlers Chocolate Café opens in Blackrock!
Butlers Chocolate Café opened its new store this week in the Blackrock Village Centre. Butlers describes its store as a place where customers can enjoy the highest quality coffee, tea and chocolate beverages in stylish, welcoming surroundings. We welcome Butlers to Blackrock!
Granada FC outlines plans to
BBN Board
The Chairman of local football club Granada FC Ciaran Kane recently addressed the BBN Board and outlined the club’s ambitious Community Business Partnership Programme, which aims to work together with local businesses who share its core values of community, sustainability and inclusivity, in providing Football for All and other great initiatives. Granada FC is also affiliated with Shamrock Rovers FC, one of the most successful clubs in Irish football.
Granada FC’s Commercial Director Paddy Cranfield (above) thanked the Board for its work in supporting the club’s forthcoming visit to Vincennes in Paris, which is partnered with Blackrock. During the trip, more than 40 club affiliates and players will explore opportunities for business and cultural exchange between the twinned towns while also celebrating the positive impact youth football has had on the respective communities.
If your business would like to learn more about Granada FC’s Community Business Partnership Programme, feel free to contact Paddy at paddy.cranfield@gmail.com
493 Apartment Scheme plans for Blackrock lodged under SHD scheme
The Oval Target Company is seeking permission at St Teresa’s, Temple Hill for an 11 block apartment scheme with one block rising to 10 storeys in height. Directors Paddy McKillen Jr and Matt Ryan have lodged fast track plans for the €200m/493 unit scheme. The 493 apartments are to be made up of 220 one-bedroom units, 208 two-bed units, 47 three-bed units and 18 studio units on the site close to Blackrock Village.
The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme is one of a number of large-scale developments put before An Bord Pleanála in the week before Christmas 2021. The St Teresa’s case is due to be decided by 21 April 2022.
Other Planning Applications - Update
- 13-15 Rock Hill – Appealed to An Bord Pleanála – Decision due 8 Mar 2022
- 23 Rock Hill – Further information requested by DLR
- Hill Motors – Appealed to An Bord Pleanála – Decision due 03 Mar 2022
- Units 1&2 Blackrock Village Centre – Further information requested by DLR
- 2 Main Street – Further information requested by DLR
Frascati Centre apartment scheme – Revised plans requested by DLR – Decision due 18 March 2022
New Chief Executive for DLRCoCo
Frank Curran has been appointed as Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. He takes up the role last month for an initial seven year term. A native of Waterford, Mr Curran has previously held the position of Chief Executive in both Wicklow and Leitrim County Councils.
Speaking as he commenced duties, the new Chief Executive said:
“I am joining Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown at a very interesting time in the Local Authority sector. I look forward to working with our Councillors and the Executive on a wide range of service areas and strategic priorities. This Council has been at the forefront of innovative service provision and public realm projects in recent years and I am eager to engage with everyone in the Council, sectoral stakeholders, local businesses and the local community on new projects.”
The BBN look forward to an early meeting with Mr Curran so that our joint objectives of building on the successes in Blackrock can be achieved through a spirit of active collaboration.
Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme
DLR would like businesses in Blackrock to take part in their Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme. The programme is run by DLRCoCo in conjunction with Age Friendly Ireland and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber and aims to support businesses to become more friendly to their older customers.
The programme asks businesses to nominate an Age Friendly Champion who will engage with customers and colleagues to make small changes which will hopefully have a big impact on the older customer. The changes are designed to be low- or no-cost, such as providing a chair for people to sit on, reducing noise levels, or ensuring all signs are in large print. Businesses who participate and make these small changes will receive accreditation as an Age Friendly Business. See flyer
Grant Support for Festivals
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council would like to invite applications from event organisers for grant support towards the development of tourism festivals and participative events in 2022.
Together, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Fáilte Ireland seek to support the tourism industry and work to sustain Ireland as a high-quality and competitive tourism destination.
This grant scheme is aimed at supporting the development of festivals and participative events which drive domestic and international tourism and help to improve the visitor experience by animating destinations in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Guidelines and application form for the grant can be found here
Blackrock Library - Acorn Tablet Project
Circular Economy Training
MODOS Circular Economy Training Programmes are now open for applications. DLR is working collaboratively with Dublin City Council and the training has been developed in response to businesses’ challenges in understanding and how to operate with a circular economy focus. Approximately 50 businesses have completed these programmes previously and retailers are finding significant benefits from it.
DLR is running two programmes and you can choose between either of them:
4 modules: Course 1: 2nd to 30th March or Course 2: 9th March to 6th April
The cost of the programme is heavily subsidised and funded by the Environmental Protection Agency with a fee of €150 for participants ( which includes training, networking, and one to one mentoring ). An early bird rate of €75 applies to all applications received by 25th February.
Full details and application forms can be found at www.modos.ie.
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