McDonalds in Temple Bar - Yay or Nay?

Davy

I would say 'Nay' to it going in, but after a night of beers im not sure i would feel the same. Their would be a good chance I would end up in there, and Im sure im not the only one.....?

BeerNut

Davy wrote: »

after a night of beers im not sure i would feel the same. Their would be a good chance I would end up in there, and Im sure im not the only one.....?

If it means shorter queues at Zaytoon, build four of them.

Coriolanus

No reason not to. Mcdonalds as a corp have shown they can actually create some nice restaurants that suit the ambience of the area, if they're made to.
I give you:
McDonalds in Maine


McDonalds in Vittorio (I think)

January

phasers wrote: »

Jervis St
O'Connell St (2)
Grafton St

hmm... Ilac centre?

Corner of Mary Street/Jervis Street

iMax

Wish it was Taco Bell or Jack In The Box

John_Rambo

iMax wrote: »

Wish it was Taco Bell or Jack In The Box

Have you been to America?

PTO

I hope they have it like the pubs in Temple bar and make the prices much more expensive then everywhere else!! 10 euro Big Mac anyone??

iMax

John_Rambo wrote: »

Have you been to America?

Many times, which is why I wish it was Taco Bell or Jack In The Box

John_Rambo

iMax wrote: »

John_Rambo wrote: »

Have you been to America?

Many times

I'd never have guessed!

John_Rambo

Double post!!!!

compsys

NAY!

Dublin is full of sh*tty tacky shops, convenience stores and fast food outlets so the last thing our so-called cultural quarter needs is yet ANOTHER fast food restaurant.

In many cities all over the world they have strict rules on what can be opened on certain streets or in certain areas. I really wish Dublin City Council would do the same.

Ever been to Oxford Street in London and had a great time shopping at all the amazing retail outlets on the street? Well Oxford Street has strict guidelines surrounding what shops can open up there. Fast food outlets are usually banned as they want the street to be a high-class retail destination and not full of convenience stores, mobiles phones outlets or fast food outlets i.e. Grafton St or O'Connell Street. And in my opinion it works.

All you have to do is look at the sorry state of O'Connell Street to see what unregulated retail development can do to a place. To be honest I'm a bit saddened soo many people on here seem to think opening up yet another McDonald's in Temple Bar is such a good idea. Are people in Dublin really that lazy that they can't walk 5 minutes or so to the one on Grafton Street, O'Connell Street (which has two!), Mary Street or Parnell Street?

Coriolanus

compsys wrote: »

NAY!

Dublin is full of sh*tty tacky shops, convenience stores and fast food outlets so the last thing our so-called cultural quarter needs is yet ANOTHER fast food restaurant.

In many cities all over the world they have strict rules on what can be opened on certain streets or in certain areas. I really wish Dublin City Council would do the same.

Ever been to Oxford Street in London and had a great time shopping at all the amazing retail outlets on the street? Well Oxford Street has strict guidelines surrounding what shops can open up there. Fast food outlets are usually banned as they want the street to be a high-class retail destination and not full of convenience stores, mobiles phones outlets or fast food outlets i.e. Grafton St or O'Connell Street. And in my opinion it works.

All you have to do is look at the sorry state of O'Connell Street to see what unregulated retail development can do to a place. To be honest I'm a bit saddened soo many people on here seem to think opening up yet another McDonald's in Temple Bar is such a good idea. Are people in Dublin really that lazy that they can't walk 5 minutes or so to the one on Grafton Street, O'Connell Street (which has two!), Mary Street or Parnell Street?

Take a look at the pics I posted. McDs doesn't have to be tacky. I agree that the planning laws in this country are mad, but a blanket ban is nearly as bad. Consider the fact that the McD in Italy that I posted looks better than plenty of our "landmark" buildings by a factor of about 10.

compsys

Nevore wrote: »

Take a look at the pics I posted. McDs doesn't have to be tacky. I agree that the planning laws in this country are mad, but a blanket ban is nearly as bad. Consider the fact that the McD in Italy that I posted looks better than plenty of our "landmark" buildings by a factor of about 10.

But who needs 10 McDonald's or so within a two square mile radius? Let alone all the Burger Kings and Eddie Rocket's and Supermacs etc.

I'm not merely talking about the McDonald's restaurant looking tacky. I'm also talking about the fact there are probably close to 250 or more fast food outlets in Dublin CC. Do we really need another, let alone in our cultural quarter!?

Besides, I'd have absolutely no confidence that DCC would have the competence to ensure that the building is respectable. Just look at the ones on O'Connell Street.

elemenopee

I just read this article in the Irish Times about it:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0803/1224301773636.html

I can't BELIEVE that Mannix Flynn is endorsing this. I thought he was a man of the arts? A man who cared about Temple Bar? Seems like he's lost the plot.

Have you ever walked passed McDonalds on Grafton St around 9 o'clock in the morning? The bang of it is appalling! It'll make TB smell even worse!

FloatingVoter

elemenopee wrote: »

I just read this article in the Irish Times about it:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0803/1224301773636.html

I can't BELIEVE that Mannix Flynn is endorsing this. I thought he was a man of the arts? A man who cared about Temple Bar? Seems like he's lost the plot.

Mannix Flynn is more a man of the people. He didn't endorse it - merely distanced himself from another board member's comments. I read in the Herald yesterday that he was more interested in the employment that McDonalds would provide in a time of high unemployment.
Temple Bar is not a cultural quarter. It may be called that, it can equally be called Pickpocket Central but that doesn't win votes.

honru

If this does go ahead I just hope they're subtle with the exterior and blend it in well. Generally I've found McDonald's joints in other countries' cultural quarters not too imposing.

dazed+confused

f®eak s©enery wrote: »

If this does go ahead I just hope they're subtle with the exterior and blend it in well. Generally I've found McDonald's joints in other countries' cultural quarters not too imposing.

Yeah there are some really cool ones around, like the ones already posted and the one on Georegs Streeet in Sydney.

Unless they build it creatively and sympathetic to its surroundings I'm opposed.

FTA69

compsys wrote: »

Ever been to Oxford Street in London and had a great time shopping at all the amazing retail outlets on the street? Well Oxford Street has strict guidelines surrounding what shops can open up there. Fast food outlets are usually banned as they want the street to be a high-class retail destination and not full of convenience stores, mobiles phones outlets or fast food outlets i.e. Grafton St or O'Connell Street. And in my opinion it works.

You'll find there's a McDonalds on Oxford St.

Ben D Bus

FTA69 wrote: »

You'll find there's a McDonalds on Oxford St.

I can think of at least 3 - Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

See, I've been abroad too Now just give me a few minutes to think of a foreign fast food multiple that doesn't operate in Ireland so I can suggest it as a superior alternative to McDonalds

And just to show how well travelled I am, can I point out that the McDonalds in Bray has a very tastefully appointed exterior.

honru

Bray is a great example. If they blend it in nicely I don't have a problem with them opening up in TB, and the extra job opportunities help.

mugwumpjism

Two points....

Firstly: Mannix Flynn is simply saying the opposite to what Temple Bar Cultural Trust are saying, if they had of approved of a Mc Donalds he would have come out against it, he has a personal grudge against the organisation which has nothing to do with what is best for the quarter it is what is best for Mannix's Ego and his vested interests he is not a man of the people

Secondly: We all know Temple Bar is 'Oirish' in allot of ways and already has a few burger joints etc...the point is the tourists don't know this and treat it as an unique idenity....if you start putting Mc D's (and Tesco's!) etc it will homogeneous it to all the other examples you have given...it will become just another high street for the tourists.....surely there are hundreds of Irish based small food retailers who could start up in that spot?? (and I don't mean super macs) do these not employee people too?

dudara

McDonald's have outlets all over the world that fit in well with their locations. Venice comes to mind as an example.

I have no issue at all with McDonald's opening up in Temple Bar. If they wanted to fit in with the location, they could cover the doors in puke and p*ss every morning, and then have drunken fools flashing their asses/willies outside while a teenage pair suck the face off each other late at night. Then it would fit in perfectly.

Actually, on second thoughts, McDonald's is too good for Temple Bar

FloatingVoter

I use Temple Bar as a shortcut from Dame St. to O'Connell St. via the Ha'Penny bridge. It is not cultural and I have yet to meet a tourist who thought it was. What it does need is more chippers, some off-licenses with heavy security or better still a bus depot.
Given our recessionary times, a legalised red light district would be nice along the lines of Amsterdam. Then we will have culture. Because we are not nor never will be Venice or Milan.

phasers

Wow, there are some gorgeous looking McDonalds around the world!

The Neon Knight

Unless they build it creatively and sympathetic to its surroundings I'm opposed.


why dont you take your tree hugging beliefs to the forestry thread?

Legwinski

T'would be far better than the abrakebabras and knock off burger kings there at the moment.

jaybro

I would tend to say nay because McDonalds is a horrible corporation that makes even more horribly disgusting food. But since Temple Bar is such a commercial ****ehole, then why not, it would be along the same lines of the buzz there at the moment.

Yillan

Hungry Harry's is an abomination

rubadub

Ben D Bus wrote: »

can I point out that the McDonalds in Bray has a very tastefully appointed exterior.

It used to be bray town hall, and was controversial at the time, and probably still is, I imagine they had it in a contract to put up a non-flashy exterior. Its nice inside too, the wooden chairs are like a normal cafe, not all fixed down.

There is a discrete starbucks at the post office in blackrock too.


There is a burdocks in temple bar, there are very few Italian style chippers so central to O'Connell bridge.