Krispy Kreme appeals Council refusal of Cork store

Krispy Kreme claims that its business on the street is a retail outlet, no different than the business that preceded it at the same premises. Picture: Cian O'Regan.

Krispy Kreme has appealed against Cork City Council's decision to refuse permission for its location on Patrick's Street in the city centre.

The retailer had sought retention permission from Cork City Council for a change of use from previous retail use to a cafe, as well as the retention of shopfront and signage at its branch on 42 Patrick’s Street.

The American doughnut chain opened its Patrick Street branch last April to great fanfare, as it eyed further expansion around the country.

It took out a 10-year lease on the ground floor only of Porter’s, which closed in October 2022 However, a council inspector examined the latest planning and said that the proposed use by Krispy Kreme would be contrary to the Cork City development plan.

“As the premises is located within the ‘Core Retail Area’ of the city centre, the existing cafe use would be contrary to policy objective 10.5 which is to ‘support the function of the core retail area as the primary location of comparison shopping in the region’,” the inspector said.

The inspector also determined that the existing signage on Krispy Kreme’s shopfront would have a “visual adverse effect on the architectural conservation area”, which is separately in contravention of the city development plan.

Krispy Kreme has now appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanála.

In doing so, it claims that its business on the street is a retail outlet, no different than the business that preceded it at the same premises.

The restrictions on businesses on the street relate to hot food takeaway and restaurant uses, which Krispy Kreme says is not applicable in this case.

It also rejects the contention about its visual impact, claiming the shop front has undergone minimal change when compared to what was there previously.