Our Aims

Some of the cases that spurred us to take action include the destruction of the fantastic, 150 year old pub called “The Tower bar” on Tower street on the edges of Cork city. The pub apparently, was the oldest wooden structured pub in the city. After a long stuggle developers finally managed to get planning to knock the pub and to build apartments in its place. This was a blatent act of cultural destruction. The pub was full of real Cork characters. It was a joy to have pint there. There was a great beer garden out the back that was popular with foreingers who wanted to sample some local flavour, also beside the garden was a huge 19th century tower which overlooked the city. Alas the garden is also built on and the Old tower out the back is now totally hidden from public view.

The apartments are built but nothing has been prepared for the extra cars that will have to find parking in the narrow, already over congested lanes.

What we want to know is quite simple. HOW DID THE DEVELOPER MANAGE TO GET PLANNING? WHAT ARE THE PROCEEDURES FOR PROTECTING OLD BUILDINGS? and if there are any WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING PUT IN PLACE?

The Aims of P.I.N.T are threefold

(1) To highlight the destruction of our older pubs and to trumpet their social and cultural value.
(2) To lobby politicians to make provisions for the protection of endangered pubs.
(3) To expose greedy developers and corrupt officials.

This, as you may imagine is not all that straight forward. Pubs are closing down for many reasons. It is not always a developer at fault. Many Publicans find themselves in a situation where their pub is simply not viable anymore or they have no children willing to take it on. Some simply want to retire and make a little (or lot) of cash to do so. We cannot argue with this. However, we believe that it should be made more difficult to sell licenses and If a Publican wants to sell, it should be to someone who intends to open a new bar, or at least a reserve it to play some social function.

We also believe that the Governments attempt to erradicate “booze culture’ from Irish society is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Take on the companies selling alco-pops to kids, and not target the ‘aul fella with his pint of black stuff. Tackle the kids going nuts on every main street in every town across the country not the older people enjoying themselves reasonably sensibly in their local.