Clontarf Baths demolishion/redevelopement

expectationlost

Gangu wrote: »

What happens next?

they apply for retention?

jon1981

Bit of a shame if they have to get rid of it, it's quite nice when the weather is pleasant. I imagine this would have an impact on their trade as acted as an overflow when the conservatory was busy.
However you could tell it was an afterthought as there is no ramp so very wheelchair/pram unfriendly

... also the staff often forget there are paying guests down there as the service can be slow to make it's way there... though that can also be said for the conservatory .

pixelburp

Was there again on Sunday and the staff are still pretty shambolic; very friendly, no question, but are a bit hopeless & disorganised, they don't seem to know what they should be doing. I think there was a floor manager, but she just seemed to be in charge. I'm not even going to pretend to know how to run a restaurant, but most places visited I might notice 'floating' waiting staff, who make sure everyone's taken care of. The Baths doesn't seem to do that - and as mentioned above if you're sitting in the pergola you're essentially forgotten about.

jon1981

Yeah I think it's a combination of things 1) running a tight ship and not having enough floating staff 2) Staff not having designated areas and badly organised 3) staff not proactively making sure customers are ok... you have to flag them down.

A couple of examples from the few times I've been: I went into the Conservatory with my wife for a couple of coffees, 20 mins later no coffee. So of course I started looking for a staff member to enquire, after I eventually found one I was told a coffee machine was broken that morning and the coffee making was slow because of the reduced facility ... why the hell couldn't they have said this to me when I ordered rather than having a number of p*ssed of customers sitting there wondering if they've been forgotten about!

Another visit, I sit down at a coffee table which was dirty from the previous visitors with cups and plates still on the table, I ordered some coffees expecting the table to be cleared and cleaned in the meantime, coffees arrive... table not cleared. The waitress was about to walk off before I actually had to call her back to clear the table!

It's the little things, they cost nothing but they make such a positive impact on the customer experience!!!

To be honest, I won't be back until I hear the service has been improved. It's like the coffee area is an inconvenience to them.

Alot of negative reviews on Google and Tripadvisor and mostly negative about the same thing (slow service, lack of quality, poor staff management) , it won't survive if they don't up the standard, the repeat business just won't be there.

pixelburp

Yup, my wife had the same experience out there the couple of times she popped in mid-cycle. Sat for 20+ minutes waiting for someone, anyone, to come along and serve her.

Now to be fair, the place is less than a year old, right? So I can expect growing pains but the lack of coordination and basic nous in the staff would stop me from returning. We've only gone back as a treat 'cos we're fond of the coddle pizza. I've noticed there are a couple of older staff, but they seem to be run off their feet (presumably compensating for the (otherwise nice) teenagers hired on the cheap)

odyssey06

There was a limited 'public event' last week but seems to have been a blink and you miss it...
https://www.q102.ie/news/clontarf-baths-open-to-the-public/

Gloomtastic!

odyssey06 wrote: »

There was a limited 'public event' last week but seems to have been a blink and you miss it...
https://www.q102.ie/news/clontarf-baths-open-to-the-public/

Seems pretty popular. The one advantage of swimming in the pool, as opposed to open swimming in the sea, is that it's floater-free! :rolleyes:

Gangu

odyssey06 wrote: »

There was a limited 'public event' last week but seems to have been a blink and you miss it...
https://www.q102.ie/news/clontarf-baths-open-to-the-public/

They are just trying to build a file for planning purposes. Nothing genuine about it.

expectationlost

The owner of Clontarf Baths is challenging a ruling by Dublin city council that found alterations to its dining area were developed without permission. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/clontarf-baths-owner-challenges-ruling-pergola-must-go-7bkqrtckx

the possibility of them having broken plannings rules and the true intent of the business aside I don't know how this alteration harms anyone/pool users

expectationlost

clontarf baths wins retention https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/clontarf-baths-wins-appeal-over-restaurant-ffpr5755l

expectationlost

the Journal with Google funding has set up a site where you can fund specific stories to be investigated, one of which is related to the clontarf baths/restaurant
SINK OR SWIM: How could an historic sea baths get renovated yet remain closed to swimmers for six months each year? https://www.noteworthy.ie/proposal/clontarf-baths-planning-11-Apr2019

don't think they need to go into the history just the most recent planning application

whiskeyman

Is it under new management now?

I think many are just glad the site had been redeveloped as it was an eyesore.

Gloomtastic!

whiskeyman wrote: »

Is it under new management now?

I think many are just glad the site had been redeveloped as it was an eyesore.

I think the manager has changed but ownership remains the same.

expectationlost

expectationlost wrote: »

the Journal with Google funding has set up a site where you can fund specific stories to be investigated, one of which is related to the clontarf baths/restaurant
SINK OR SWIM: How could an historic sea baths get renovated yet remain closed to swimmers for six months each year? https://www.noteworthy.ie/proposal/clontarf-baths-planning-11-Apr2019

don't think they need to go into the history just the most recent planning application

heres that article
https://www.thejournal.ie/clontarf-baths-development-4625138-May2019/

pixelburp

Popped in for a coffee break mid walk the other Sunday, and still a bit chaotic, while the size Vs price of the coffees were laughable. Titchy cups at premium pricing. Won't be back TBH which is a shame; not that our business will be missed, the place was heaving...

I presume the pool will never be open to the general public, that article sounds like insurance is the killer (excuse?), at this stage just a facade to the underwhelming restaurant.

Do the clubs even use it that much, relative to their other activities?

Hal3000

I don't blame them not opening the pool to the general public. Have you seen what's on Dollymount in the good weather ? This is the most unfortunate think about Ireland. We can't enjoy stuff like this and be responsible as a country. If the baths were open to the public it would be taken over by absolute toerags in minutes.

expectationlost

Hal3000 wrote: »

I don't blame them not opening the pool to the general public. Have you seen what's on Dollymount in the good weather ? This is the most unfortunate think about Ireland. We can't enjoy stuff like this and be responsible as a country. If the baths were open to the public it would be taken over by absolute toerags in minutes.

would toerags pay in?

PlayByTheRules

https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0709/1152317-dublin-swimming-pool/

Looks like the Council want to get the job done properly unlike this private operator who didn't deliver on what was planned

odyssey06

PlayByTheRules wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0709/1152317-dublin-swimming-pool/
Looks like the Council want to get the job done properly unlike this private operator who didn't deliver on what was planned

Yes when I saw that, the same thought struck me - that's what should have happened with the Clontarf Baths.