Cork bar BDSM in the dog house with planners

The BDSM bar on North Main Street

A popular Cork bar is not operating in line with its planning permissions, An Bord Pleanála has determined.

The Black Dog Saloon & Mezcalaria (BDSM) at number 53 North Main Street in Cork city, will now need to seek planning retention from Cork City Council.

An Bord Pleanála assessed whether the venue was functioning in line with its licence to operate as a café/restaurant. A question also arose in relation to the replacement of signage.

It was the view of the Council that the current operational use of No 53 was as a public house and late night bar. It was submitted that there are no exemptions under the planning legislation to permit the change of use from a shop (which was the previous use) to a public house. It was stated the property had the benefit of planning permission under the change of use of the ground floor retail to a licensed café/restaurant use. The current use of the property was regarded as unauthorised.

Fergal Ó Bric, the board inspector, who visited the premises in June and July, said while the planning permission given to No 53 had permitted a change of use from retail to a licensed café/restaurant, “there was no café or restaurant in formal presentation at No 53, with only five small rectangular tables (that would serve two persons each)”. He said No 53 “presents as a public house with some ancillary café/restaurant element”.

The inspector was also critical of signage on the street facade saying he did not believe it was in accordance with planning permission or sympathetic to the wider architectural conservation area.

The Black Dog Saloon & Mezcalaria (BDSM) at number 53 North Main Street in Cork city, will now need to seek planning retention from Cork City Council.

In response to Cork City Council’s submission, the Black Dog Bar and Nightclub Ltd said the current signage addressed the concerns of the City Council and was in line with planning.

It also refuted the inspector's suggestion that there was no café or restaurant in operation at the premises, claiming he visited outside of opening hours.

“The fact that some of the food consumed is no longer prepared on the same premises does not mean that the use as a licensed café/restaurant has ceased.” 

Black Dog and Nightclub Ltd also queried how the signage would affect the character of the architectural conservation area.

Ultimately, the board ruled that the “primary use of No 53 North Main Street, Cork as a public house and the replacement signage alterations in the form of a red neon lit billboard sign...constitute development, and development that is not exempted development".

When contacted by the Irish Examiner for his response to the board’s ruling, Benny McCabe, the bar owner, said he had no comment to make.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said: “The planning status of this premises, according to both Cork City Council and now also ABP, is that the use as a public house and the signage are both unauthorised, as planning was required for both but never sought by the premises operator.” 

The spokesperson said it “would be a matter for the premises owners to regularise it through a retention application”.