Bewley's welcomes support but cafés still to close

Bewley’s today welcomed a public meeting at Grafton Street as an expression of support for the cafés but said the cafés would close next week as planned.

The managing director of Bewley’s Oriental Cafés, Col Campbell, met with Dublin's Lord Mayor Cllr. Michael Conaghan, this morning.

The cafés are to close as they are losing cash rapidly - approximately €2m this year alone - and they require a multi-million redesign and refurbishment.

In the late 1990s, over three million people were visiting the two cafés annually. This year, that figure will be in the order of one and a half million and this is declining year on year.

Both cafés will close following regular business on Tuesday 30th November, 2004.

Col Campbell commented: “ Once we have this immediate and difficult period behind us, Bewley’s will welcome the opportunity to engage with the Lord Mayor and his colleagues, and any other parties, with a view to exploring how a Bewley’s presence could be maintained at Grafton Street.”

Bewley’s Oriental Cafés Ltd, is owned by Campbell Bewley Group Ltd.