Mayo's vacant pubs are getting a new lease of life

Mayo County Council received 18 notifications to convert vacant pubs into housing units over a seven-year period. This was the highest number in the entire country with Limerick next on 11.

The council received a total of 101 notifications to turn vacant commercial properties into housing between 2018 and 2024.

In 2018, the Department of Housing introduced new rules removing a requirement to secure permission to convert certain vacant commercial buildings into residential units. In 2022, the exemption was extended to include vacant former pubs.

Between 2018 and 2024, local authorities across the country received 1,457 notifications to convert vacant commercial properties into housing units, according to figures published by the Department of Housing. It said these conversions have the potential to create up to 3,429 new homes.

Of the 1,457 notifications, 154 relate to vacant pubs. These conversions could create up to 459 new homes, the Department said.

The former Epic bar and nightclub in Ballyhaunis was among the 18 former licenced premises in Mayo where permission was sought to turn the property into housing. The former Connaught Inn in Castlebar is among several public houses that have already been turned into accommodation.

In recent years, there have been notification received by the council to turn pubs in Castlebar, Ballyhaunis, Charlestown, Ballinrobe, Kiltimagh, Westport and Swinford into housing units.

“The trend is continuing,” said Tom Gilligan, Director of Services with the council. "Mayo had the highest number of notifications of any local authority, which is very significant,” he added.

Elswhere in the West, four notification to turn former pubs into housing was received by Galway Co Council while Sligo and Roscommon Co Council each received three.

The trend coincided with a rapid decline in the number of pubs operating in Mayo. More than one-quarter of Mayo’s pubs have shut their doors in the past two decades, according to a survey published in July.

The study, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), found that 135 pubs in Mayo had ceased trading between 2005 and 2024, a decline of 28.9%. There are now 332 pubs in the county compared to 467 in 2005.

Between 2019 and 2024, 40 Mayo pubs shut down (a 10.8% decline), which suggests that the problem has worsened in recent years, although there is some hope in the fact that there were no pub closures in the county last year.

“A lot of these pubs that are closing they are in very good locations with good access to services,” said Mr Gilligan.

He said the conversion of former public houses can help to regenerate an area and increase footfall in Mayo town centres.