Former telephone exchange building is a creative option

Central: The Hely Building in the lively Dame Court area

Donal Buckley

AN opportunity for a large food and beverage operator to lease an 18,000 sq ft plus premises next to the Stag's Head pub in the lively Dame Court area in Dublin's Creative Quarter has come on market.

Agent JLL is quoting a rent of €495,000 per annum for the premises, known as the Hely Building, which includes potential for more than 5,000 sq ft of ground-floor space. The former telephone exchange buildings are still owned by Eir.

The larger part of the lettable frontage is in a four-storey over-basement premises on Dame Court. The smaller portion is three storeys over basement on Dame Lane.

Both of these side streets have strong footfall and are located between Dame St and Exchequer St. Niall Delmar, of letting agent JLL, says that it is seldom that a premises of this size becomes available for food and beverage operators to appropriately configure for restaurant and bar space to their designs subject to planning permission. "It will alleviate some demand for city centre space of a sizeable floor plate," he adds.

Its neighbour, The Stags Head - originally known as John Bull's Albion Hotel and Tavern - is separately owned by the Louis Fitzgerald chain of pubs.

Dublin's Creative Quarter, which stretches from Dame St to South Great George's St, has become a thriving destination for eateries, bars and venues based on its busy community of office workers, tourists and visiting evening goers.