Culture
05 Jan 24

Beloved Dublin pub All My Friends shuts down due to increasing business costs

All My Friends Pub on Meath Street, Dublin 8

The owners cited a "punitive taxation system" as one of the main reasons behind the closure.

Dublin pub All My Friends has been forced to shut down due to “increasing costs associated with operating a small, independently owned business.”

The bar was opened by bouncer and LGBTQ+ ally John Keelan n 2022, with the hope of creating an inclusive community space on Meath Street in The Liberties.

With a reputation for its welcoming atmosphere, All My Friends regularly hosted performances, DJ sets, karaoke, and was a dog-friendly establishment.

Yet another fabulous Dublin bar gone to the wall.. how many more small businesses is that now? And yet bars and nightclubs are STILL waiting on the changes to the bill. It will be my retirement party i'll be having by the time it comes out. @HMcEntee @cathmartingreen @LeoVaradkar pic.twitter.com/iLzKb4EhOS

— Buzz O'Neill-Maxwell (@buzzoneill) January 4, 2024

“It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce the closure of allmyfriends with immediate effect,” said the owners in a statement posted to social media.

“We’ve done our best to keep brining the good times to the Liberties but the punitive taxation system that currently exists in this country combined with the ever increasing costs associated with operating a small, independently owned business have just become too much to bear.

“We want to thank all of you who have supported us through our journey as we danced and laughed our way through some memorable moments.

“Above all we want to thank all the wonderful staff who have been the lifeblood of the pub. You all have a special place in our heart.

The hardest part is not getting a chance to say goodbye to you all and knowing that under different circumstances things could have been so different.

“Please get out and support small business, even if our government doesn’t want to.”

A social bastion for members of the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, patrons expressed their grievances with the closure online.

“Any background, any age, any person, you made them feel so comfortable,” said one commentor. “Yous will be missed and I wish you the best of luck in the future.”

“AMF was the only place I used to go with love,” said another. “Sorry to see you leave. Dublin queer night life is getting stereotypically boring and backward."