A deal that will see the landmark building at 34 College Green, in Dublin 2, become an upmarket steak restaurant in the spring of next year is being billed as “the biggest flagship food and beverage international letting in the country” by CBRE Dublin.
Hawksmoor, which was founded in the UK in 2006 by Will Beckett and Huw Gott, has taken a 20-year lease on the Clarendon Properties-owned building, which was previously occupied by the US clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch. The project will focus on restoration rather than renovation of the building; the fit-out of the 1,317sq m ground floor is expected to cost in the region of €4 million.
Hawksmoor, which has a strong focus on sustainability and local sourcing, already has restaurants in London, Edinburgh, Manchester and New York. The Dublin restaurant will be its 12th outlet.
Announcing the planned Dublin opening in this newspaper in June, Beckett said, “We’ve been coming to Dublin for years to spend time in one of our favourite cities for food and drink, always keeping an eye open for a beautiful space. When we saw the former National Bank on 34 College Green we fell in love. It’s only taken us 16 years to finally get from London to Dublin, but we can’t wait to open Hawksmoor in what we think is the most hospitable city in the world. We’re hoping to open in spring next year, subject to planning.”
Gott said, “A lot of time and thought have gone into this design for Hawksmoor Dublin, as we’re hoping to celebrate the original fabric of the National Bank building by restoring original features, such as the banking hall’s grand 40-feet cast-iron dome and ornate plasterwork, and reinstating elements like cast iron railings similar to those originally installed in the 1880s. Our goal is to restore it to its former glory, enhance features that have been shielded from public view in recent decades, and enable as many people as possible to enjoy this beautiful historic building.”
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Bernadine Hogan, head of retail Ireland for CBRE, commented, “Hawksmoor will be a fantastic addition to the existing quality food and beverage offering in Dublin. Their sustainability commitments could not be overlooked and was a key merit in advising our clients. We were also keen to attract a new offering, which resulted in this being the biggest food and beverage deal of the year for the entire State. There was a lot of interest in this property, with a number of other quality offers looking to locate here.″
