Monck Street in Wexford will have an all-weather roof in time for June bank holiday

Monck Street, one of Wexford town’s most popular night spots, will have a retractable roof stretching over its entire length in time for the June bank holiday weekend after a contract was awarded for the work.

Wexford District Manager Angela Laffan confirmed the news and said the all-weather canopy will add a new dimension to the town’s outdoor dining facilities.

"The roof will be in place for the tourist season. A contract has been awarded. We hope to have it in situ for the June bank holiday weekend”, she said.

Wexford County Council invited tenders for the project and recently awarded the contract with the successful contractor expected to start work on the roof in the next few weeks after the contracts have been formally signed.

It is understood that the successful contractor is currently engaging with suppliers to source metal for the frame which will be built first.

The council tender was for the design and construction of a six-metre high roof that can open and close depending on the weather, with a free-standing steel frame and a retractable, fully waterproof curved fabric canopy system, an integrated concealed rainwater disposal system and LED dimmable lights to use when fully closed. It specified that it should be made of a translucent fabric with micro ventilation.

"It will be a great addition to the town. The plan is to have it finished in June for the tourist season”, said council chief executive Tom Enright.

Fáilte Ireland allocated a grant of €228,000 to the council for the construction of a roof over Monck Street during Covid in September 2021, in order to provide permanent outdoor dining facilities in the area.

The idea of a partial roof over the street had been mooted earlier by Colm and Anthony Neville of CoAnt Entertainments Ltd, the developers and owners of the Crown Quarter who made a presentation to the local authority in November 2020.

Wexford County Council successfully applied for funding under Fáilte Ireland’s Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Infrastructure grants scheme.

The funding was offered to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for tourists outdoors on the understanding that outdoor dining and hospitality would become a year-round feature.

Monck Street – which is lined with bars and restaurants including the Crown Bar, T Morris, the Madina Grill, Jaspers, Maggie May’s and the Mocking Monck – also recently underwent major streetscape enhancement works and is now fully pedestrianised.