THE FIRST ‘NO More Hotels’ protest party took place on the 10th August 2019 to highlight the fact that clubbing was indeed culture — and a culture worth saving.

We set it up at the time because we were sick of watching the eradication of places to dance in the city to make way for hotels. As a resident and business owner of Dublin City Centre, I was invested in living in a city that had life, creativity and community at its heart.

Whilst we remain the city’s biggest cheerleaders and applaud those who are actively working to make the city sing, it’s been tough to stay positive in the last few years, as the capital city loses much of what made it special in the first place.

The opening line on our first Instagram post was, “Too many cultural hubs in Dublin have been bulldozed to make way for just-for-profit hotels. The city is losing its late-night soul.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by No More Hotels (@nomorehotels)

A post shared by No More Hotels (@nomorehotels)

One, two, skip a few (years) — seven to be exact — and we are witnessing tensions between The Hoxton and Yamamori Izakaya. This is the perfect illustration of the David and Goliath battle the city has been facing when it comes to late-night, fun venues being threatened by developments for tourists.

The injunction served by The Hoxton to Yamamori Izakaya over alleged noise complaints seems to be yet another tipping point reached for the people of Dublin, who have had enough of their city being sold off and taken over by the highest bidder.

A similar pushback took place in 2021, when The Cobblestone, an intrinsic part of Dublin trad culture, found itself at the centre of a planning saga. A nine-story hotel was proposed surrounding the venue, prompting a strong response from residents and supporters. In the end, pressure won out, and the plans for the site were refused and withdrawn.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Cobblestone (@cobblestonepubdublin)

A post shared by The Cobblestone (@cobblestonepubdublin)

Jane Jacobs, author of the seminal ‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’ and widely regarded as the architect of the modern city, said:

“This is something everyone knows: A well-used city street is apt........

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