Denis Desmond, a concert promoter, and Caroline Downey Desmond are challenging Dublin City Council’s refusal to permit the installation of fences around the Ambassador Theatre to counteract severe anti-social behaviour. The council declined this proposal in January, citing that a 1.7 metre high railing around the boundary of the historic 260-year-old landmark would significantly harm its unique value, surroundings, and visual appeal. This landmark is located on Parnell Street in Dublin 1.
However, a bold appeal was submitted to An Bord Pleanála on behalf of the Desmonds’ company, Millennium Theatre Ltd, which runs the location. This appeal, presented by planning consultant Tom Phillips, outlined the primary aim of the railings as ensuring public safety and protection from anti-social behaviour. Phillips described the issues as instances of drug use, urination, vomiting, and defecation.
According to Philips, the venue is currently shut and is likely to remain that way until the lessee determines it is safe to reopen. He noted that rails were previously installed, suggesting their reinstallation to safeguard the building aesthetically and physically.
The theatre has protected status, and Phillips argued that this protection should not reduce buildings to useless relics, rather, it should be utilised to promote their beneficial use. During a site inspection on Sunday, February 25th, Phillips included shocking images in the appeal showing human waste and drug-related litter around the theatre.
In one picture caption, Phillips noted that it is tough for a Millennium Theatre company staff member to clean the regular mess without coming into contact with human waste. However, the Dublin Civic Trust opposed the railing proposal, arguing that anti-social behaviour was not widespread and did not justify the drastic measure. In a 44-page counter, Phillips asked how much evidence of vomit, faeces, blood, and needles the Trust needed to believe the severity of the situation.
“It’s largely understood that the majority of individuals feel compassion for folks living on the streets, however, is it fair to incessantly endanger the wellbeing of a staff member from Millennium Theatre by asking them to combat conduct which evidently sabotages communal health?”
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