It seems that the doors were closed on Thomas Read’s and The Oak, two establishments on the corner of Parliament Street and Dame Street, earlier on today. The reason remains unclear. I’d a feeling something was up earlier when I spotted a few tweets on the subject, but you can’t believe something just because it was on the Tweet machine. If that was all truth Margaret Thatcher has died a dozen times over for example.
To add to the feeling something was up, when I put the question out there looking for pointers, I heard that one of our own writers was sitting in Brogans pub and among him where the bar staff of the nearby establishments! The story there was that staff learned only a number of hours previously that the establishment would be closed within an hour.
Hopefully tomorrow we can post definite confirmation, and I’ll swing by The Oak during the day. The pub has an excellent history, as featured here in the past in jaycarax’s excellent piece ‘From The RMS Mauretania to Crane Lane.’
After a re-decoration in 1946, the name of the pub was changed to The Oak. Why? The oak panelled interior of the bar was made with wood savalged from the RMS Mauretania, the sister ship of the RMS Lusitania
The two establishments are part of the Thomas Read Group of bars and restaurants, under the control of receiver Martin Ferris of Ferris Associates for the past two years.
Estate agent Morrissey’s has been attempting to sell the premises for two years. Their PDF on the site is available to read here.
So, has The Oak been closed, sold or what is the case? Tomorrow will tell.
I was in the Oak 30 years ago one Wednesday(dole day on Werburh st.) very pissed about 10.30 pm and there was somebody beside me making issue about ordering, for some reason or other he was annoying me, so I said to him, “who do you think you are, the fucken lord mayor”. Who ever it was I was drinking with tried to hush me up and told me that he was the lord mayor. Sure enough it was Alexi Fitzgerald. I’ve had a number of scrapes like that. The only feeling I felt at the time was that I might be asked to leave, but I was a spender and that’s often all a pub respects!!
That’s sad news if it’s true.
A gang of us were in The Oak last Monday, watching the Spurs match to kill some time before going to the IFI. It was my first time there in yonks it has to be said.
Always thought the staff were friendly.
Unfortunately this is true,.. In Brogan’s last night and was told by the barman that the receiver walked into TR at six o’clock and told the staff they had an hour to leave; so they all came down to Brogan’s. It felt like a bloody wake in there!
Walked in at six and told the staff to leave….that sounds like Martin Ferris all right. The Thomas Read group has been in trouble for some time.
http://www.dublin.ie/websites/yvonneportfolio/thomas-read-group.asp
“The Thomas Read Group owns many pubs in Dublin city including The Bailey, Searson’s, Thomas Read’s, The Oak, Life Bar, The Morrisson, Hogans, Pravda and The Buddha Bar in Blanchardstown.”
“The Read Group tries to be five years [ahead] of what other people are doing here.”
All the boozers must be going to go bang in the next five years….
Hopefully the interior of the Oak is protected?
He should have stuck to running guns.
Welcome to Dublin. Over here we have a pub panelled with oak from the RMS Mauretania which is now closed and around the corner in Parliament St there’s a shop boarded up which has display cabinets made by Chippendale. Down the road is a monument to ignorance called the civic offices built on a Viking settlement. Notice how it was strategically places to block the view from the river of the Proddy cathedral. A nice touch that dont’ ya think. Across the river in Smithfield the gombeen politicians are spending millions killing the horse fair. It’s a kind of year zero project for native inner city culture. This month we hosted Innovation Dublin which is brain farting session looking for ways to attract more visitors to the capital. Enjoy the tour..
Re-opening next Wednesday under new management with all original staff.
I am pleased to say that thomas read and oak bars have been reopened under new management on 7th december.
All staff have been re employed.
We welcome back all of our customers!