Dublin City Council have confirmed that outdoor dining will take place on Merrion Row this summer.
A successful trial took place last weekend and DCC have issued a statement today to say that 'outdoor dining will be facilitated on Merrion Row, initially for the summer, with a review to take place in the autumn to ascertain the long-term viability of continuing.'
They added that 'Over the coming weeks the following changes will be made to the area as part of a wider programme of city-wide initiatives led by the Office of City Recovery:
- The footpaths on Merrion Row will be widened on both sides with one lane of traffic remaining to facilitate traffic from Kildare Street
- Hume Street and Ely Place will have the direction of flow reversed so traffic from St Stephens Green East will use these streets
- A contra flow cycle lane will be provided on Ely Place and Hume Street and cyclists will still be able to access Merrion Row from St Stephens Green East
- 8 carparking spaces will be removed on the east side of Ely place. However 90% of spaces on Hume Street/Ely Place will remain. There will be no changes to any disabled spaces.
- Traffic changes will be implemented from Sunday the 30th of May 2021.
'Dublin City Council has decided to proceed with the changes after last weekend’s trial demonstrated the effects the proposals would have in the local area.
'The decision to proceed with the trial was made following a recent public consultation that received almost 2,400 submissions, with 93% respondents in favour.'
Calls for Merrion Row to be pedestrianised have been made for a number of months, with those at
Hugos Restaurant leading the charge. Now that their wish has been granted, Dubliners can look forward to enjoying Merrion Row in a different way to what we're used to.
Here's to an outdoor summer!
(header pic: Hugos)
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