The investment arm of the Davy Group has made a further retail swoop on Cork city’s Patrick Street, having bought the Moderne last year for circa €4-5 million in an off-market deal.

The historic Woodford bar in Cork city centre, with a licensed and drinks trade link stretching back to 1750, has been bought out of receivership for c €1.25 million.

IF an army marches on its stomach, and an economy on its retail and restaurant expansion, then things are clearly picking up in Cork - with knives, forks and chopsticks at the ready in the ‘Asian Street Feud’ moves.

A recovery in trade in one of Cork’s city centre’s under-performing streets — Academy Street — is heralded with the opening this weekend of a new restaurant, CoqBull, which replaces hospitality supremo Jay Bourke’s long-established Cafe Bar Deli.