Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

I'm curious, in general, what are people's opinions / feelings on how Wetherspoon pubs are doing in Ireland?

I have been in the 3x Dublin city centre pubs, maybe once or twice each, but I am not a regular, so I don't know how they are doing.

What about the 3x Dublin suburban pubs in Swords, Blanch and DL?

Any updates on the Aston quay site?

Thanks.

General thoughts from me and most people I know who've been to them a few times:

• They're not as nice as a 'normal' Dublin pub but at 1/2 to 1/3rd the price the value is incredible. You do sacrifice by having no music, and no decent TVs for sports usually. Slightly too big and bright too in some of them (or some areas of some of them), it can be a bit canteen like.
• The bar service is usually slow because its all young staff, but ordering on the app instead is fantastic.
• The selection of drinks is very good - lots of beers/spirits you wouldn't get in normal pubs, its great to be able to try new things for a change.
• Some of the buildings (like Keavan's Port or the 40ft) are architecturally very impressive.
• The crowd can be young or slightly rough in some of them, sometimes. Though the security staff are good and I've never seen any fights.
• The food is cheap but not good

Overall they're not somewhere I'd go every night, or even for a full night usually, but its definitely great to have them in the country - they're offering something different to any of our more traditional pubs. They're at the very least a really good option for going in for a few drinks to start the night.

They seem to be doing very well too, they're consistently very busy every time I'm in one.

Are there any Irish weatherspoons recent price lists online?

i.e. the standard range of beers they have

can find any myself.

I wonder what is the reason?

Not busy enough?

It’s interesting they are holding on to the Dublin region sites but completely closing up outside Dublin.

Have to ask, are the Dublin sites much more popular?

Maybe they get more UK tourist business which wouldn’t be the case down the country?

But there are JDW pubs in cities the size of Cork in the UK?

There are sometimes multiple JDW pubs in towns smaller than Carlow in the UK. The city/town size is not the issue

They've also previously put their unfinished Dublin development site - Aston Quay - up for sale.

^This. The prices in the Great Wood in Blanch seem to go up everytime I go in, but at 3.80 a pint of Strongbow (2.75 a year ago), it's still briliant value compared to anywhere else and the pizza isn't bad. Grand for a pint and a pizza on a Saturday afternoon or sitting out during the summer. No brainer in Blanc SC as there is no competition.

I'm not out that frequently in Dublin, but it is the cask beers I would go to the 'spoons for. I haven't had any success in Camden Street, and they only had one on (despite what the app said) last time I was in Grand Canal Dock (and it wasn't one of the Irish ones).

I've been in the Silver Penny about four or five times since the start of September, all on a Saturday afternoon, between 2 and 5 say. Only once did I see any kind of "drama" and it was a one drunk man speaking a bit loudly to another drunk man at the same table as him, it might have boiled over but I got the impression they were keeping a lid on it as a group, given the very obvious security situation.

I was exclusively drinking cask ales, and paying 2.50 a pint for them. I was in the company of what I suppose you'd term "beer nerds" and the conversation centred around the beer itself, so it was perfect for what we wanted. On at least 2 occasions they had the Rugby World Cup match that was taking place at the time, on at least one screen.

No one knows, only confirmed that they are up for sale.

Yes, I have been in the Grand Canal Dock outlet twice.

Busy both times, many non-Irish, as might be expected by the employment nearby.

The pub is over two floors, there is seating in the basement. Also seating outside.

Yes, 2.50 for cask ale, great value.

When you think about it, the 2.50 price shows the massive profits being made by brewers and pubs selling pints for 6.00-7.00 nearby.

I've been in the Carlow one maybe 15-20 times.

For me, It's clean, warm, has a couple of large screens with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, and pints of Stella for €3.00 or Renegade for €3.45

I'd only be in for the sport and a few cheap pints now and then, perhaps never there past 8pm, so never saw any hassle.

The 3 half (or is it 1/3) pints of cask for €1.95 is insane value, when the cask festival is on.

It will continue to trade until sold, a staff member told me.

4.20 is a great price, but 4.45 is still great value in the south docks office area. I can't see many docklands/southside office workers etc making the trek up to the junction of Dorset st/Gardiner St to save 25c pint.

I'm happy to see more Weatherspoons in city centre locations. if you go in with a crowd from work, or group of friends, you make your own atmosphere. There are exceptions like Mulligans, but I dont think most office-clientele Dublin city centre pubs are big on "atmosphere".

I'd rather drink literal píss...