Dublin 4 locals hopeful of big boost from sale of former Jury's and Berkeley Court Hotels

Helen Quinn

THERE have been grand plans for the sites of the former Jury's and Berkeley Court Hotels ever since developer Sean Dunne's boom-time purchase of the land.

Now, with the sale of the site believed to be imminent, local businesses are hopeful any development will bring a boost to Ballsbridge.

"I'd like to see something that will bring business into the area," said Helen Quinn, the manager of the nearby Lansdowne Hotel.

Not surprisingly, given her own occupation, she'd prefer if there wasn't another hotel built there at all.

Ambitious

"But if it comes we'll just get on with it," she said.

Mr Dunne famously bought the site in 2005 for €380m and had an ambitious vision to create a city district similar to London's Knightsbridge.

Existing approval remains for building more than 550 apartments and a 150-bedroom hotel. That planning won't expire until 2021.

Whatever is eventually built there, Ms Quinn thinks "more people in the area is better" though she would like the quiet and traditional nature of the neighbourhood preserved.

Aidan Anderson, a chef at Miller Pizza Kitchens, said the building of a school "would be fantastic".

"Local people have to send their children to schools two miles away because the schools are booked up. It's crazy." The restaurant's manager, Rowan Butler, said residential units would be great for the area. "There's ongoing housing shortage problems and it's all we ever hear about," he said.

Meanwhile, John Jones, the manager of the John Taylor men's clothes shop, would like to see another hotel there. "You have to keep tourists coming in, if they don't come here then they're in town and shops here need the business."