Iconic site on Cork's Patrick's Street set for a new lease of life
The shop is at one of the most prominent locations in Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins
One of the most historic and prominent locations on Cork's Patrick's Street is set for a new lease of life as an ice cream parlour.
Just days before the centenary of the Burning of Cork, planning permission has been granted to change the use of one of the buildings that was destroyed on December 12, 1920.
The former R Cudmore fruiterers, vegetable and ice cream shop at the corner of Patrick' St and Winthrop St is going back to a food business offering, after about 20 years' interim use as a mobile phone outlet.
C&C Retail Ltd, trading as Ginos Gelato have been given the go-ahead to open a third Cork store at the location in addition to their premises on Oliver Plunkett St and Paul St. The plans included international modifications and changes to external signage and altering the facades.
Family-owned Cudmores was in business in Cork since before World War II, and No 22 St Patrick Street was rebuilt after the 1920 Burning of Cork, part of five acres of city centre laid waste by British Auxiliaries and the Black and Tans.
The Cudmore family business vacated the location in 1999, when Vodafone took on a 25-year lease, at a time when mobile phone shops took over Irish High Street locations in droves, driving up retail rents in the process.
It's one of the smallest shops on St Patrick's Street, at under 400 sq ft, but has huge footfall thanks to proximity to Brown Thomas, Penneys, Dunnes and McDonalds.
The business will be a welcome addition to the street which has been badly scarred by the impact of Covid-19 and suffered a wave of retail closures including Debenhams, Oasis, Vero Moda, Warehouse and Hairspray.
