Arts centre seeks to stub out bar’s roof deck

A CITY centre theatre is fuming over plans by one of Cork’s biggest bars to open a roof-top smoking deck.

The Triskel Arts Centre has appealed to Bórd Pleanála a decision by the city council to give the nearby SoHo bar on Grand Parade planning permission for the development.

The theatre has concerns about noise from the deck interfering with theatre performances. The two buildings are within 100 yards of each other.

JD Hotels Grand Parade Limited lodged a planning application earlier this year for an extension to SoHo’s third floor VIP area by the provision of the 56-square metre deck.

The VIP section is available for hire and is used mainly for private parties and barbecues.

The deck will be built on the roof of the three-storey pub and will overlook Bishop Lucey Park and the Triskel to the rear.

The Triskel’s board lodged observations with the council before it had made its decision.

It cited concerns about “severe disruption” during the pub’s construction.

The council received a complaint about breaches of permitted hours of construction on the pub in May 2005. This was resolved by September.

The council has attached four conditions to the construction of the deck.

Among them are strict guidelines on noise levels from the structure between 8am and 10pm and from 10pm to 8am.

“There shall be no audible tonal or impulsive noise. Any music associated with this development shall be so controlled as to be inaudible within the nearest noise sensitive receptor,” a condition states.

However, the board of the Triskel has now appealed that decision to the planning appeals board.

A spokesperson for the Triskel declined to comment yesterday.

A spokesman for SoHo said anyone was entitled to lodge an appeal as part of the planning process.

“But we are happy to adhere to the planning conditions,” he said.

The 16,000 square foot glass-fronted bar, designed by award-winning architect Frank O’Mahony of Wilson Architects, opened last May.

It is co-owned by three Corkmen, Derry O’Regan of the East Village in Douglas, former Cork GAA Allstar Sean McCarthy and Boston-based pub owner Jon Cronin.

With room for 800 punters over its four floors, they claim it is the biggest pub in the city. There are four bars, one 65 feet long, and two restaurants.