Dubliners are being urged to ‘rediscover the city’ this weekend with the area around Grafton Street closed off to cars.
It is the first in a series of summer pedestrianisation trials, with cafés and restaurants urged to make use of the extra space to set up tables outdoors.
The streets will be closed off to traffic from 11am to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Drury Street in Dublin City Centre, 24-02-2020. Image: Eamon Farrell/RollingNewsDublin City Council’s Brendan O'Brien said the atmosphere will be completely different.
“It is a change,” he said. “There are a lot of premises and a lot of businesses in that area with different needs.”
“This is something we feel will be quite successful and we hope people will come in.
“We are kind of branding it as rediscovering the city centre after lockdown and this provides a much more pleasant space for people to do that.”
The trial will see five streets around Grafton Street closed off to traffic.
- Anne Street South from the junction of Dawson Street
- Duke Street from the junction of Dawson Street
- South William Street from the Brown Thomas car park exit to Chatham Row
- Drury Street from Fade Street to the Drury Street Car Park
- Dame Court from Exchequer Street.
The council said all car parks in the area will be accessible throughout the weekend.
Dublin Chamber said the trial offers a chance for people to enjoy the city centre in a more relaxed and family friendly way.
Depending on how things go, more streets will be pedestrianised in the coming months for longer time periods.
Café Society returns with a flourish to South William Street in Dublin’s Creative Quarter, 12-07-2020. Image: Eamon Farrell/RollingNewsDublin Chamber Spokesperson Graeme McQueen said the trial offers, “a perfect opportunity for Dubliners to get out and experience the Grafton Street area in a new way.”
“Businesses in the Grafton Street area have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the levels of footfall seen since the lockdown was lifted have been disappointing,” he said.
“We hope that these pedestrianisation trials will encourage lots of people to visit Dublin city centre this weekend and to make the most of the all the great shops, cafes and eateries that are open for business.
“Dublin city centre is looking great and all of the businesses have been working extremely hard over recent weeks to ensure they are set up to welcome shoppers back safely.”
Anne Street South in Dublin, 03-07-2020. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNewsHe said pedestrianisation is becoming a major trend in cities around the world and there is “considerable scope for it in Dublin.”
“The city currently suffers from a lack of pedestrianised areas and overcoming this challenge will be important not only in dealing with Covid-19 and social distancing requirements, but also in ensuring that Dublin becomes a more family friendly city and that quality of life improves for the people who live and work in it,” he said.
On survey will be posted online over the weekend to allow people to have their say on the trial.
