A Dublin city-centre based personal injury solicitor has no intention of moving his practice to facilitate the planned €10 million Mercantile hotel revamp .
Last month, the Mercantile Group lodged plans to expand the Mercantile pub and hotel on 24-28 Dame Street, increasing the number of bedrooms from 28 to 109.
The group – which counts Cafe En Seine, Whelan’s and The George among its portfolio – is expanding the hotel following its purchase of Dame House which it acquired for €7.5 million in 2017. However, in an objection to the plan, solicitor John Synnott said : “I am a current occupier of Dame House and have no intention of leaving my business premises. I occupy rooms on the first floor . . . proposed for a change of use to hotel use.”
He added: “Given that I have no intention of surrendering my leasehold . . . the site application needs to be assessed in terms of my practice’s continuing occupation of the building, ”
Mr Synnott told Dublin City Council that the planned expansion of the hotel “could theoretically be delivered whilst I retain occupation of my rooms, notwithstanding the impact on the servicing and movement through the building from a future operator’s point of view and the impact on access to the proposed atrium/external space. Therefore, I am requesting that the planning department robustly assesses the potential impact of the proposed development on my business.”
Mr Synnott said he did not intend to leave his premises in the near future and therefore if the proposed development is to take place, it would be in the context of “my remaining in situ.”
Mr Synnott has also said that the applicants, Mercantile group firm, Orangeseed DAC, should “be required to provide a revised floor plan at first floor level showing my premises remaining as it is and indicating how access to my premises for myself and my clients is to be secured”.
Fáilte Ireland has written to council to offer its support for the scheme.
