COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

MOTION NO. 5

MOTION: Councillor W. Carey

That this Area Committee agrees that the manager should call a meeting to discuss the model of management at Brú Chrónáin/Round Tower Visitor Centre. This meeting to decide on a new management model for the centre. This meeting to include all elected members of the Area Committee and senior management of SDCC and the board members of Brú Chrónáin.

REPORT:

Brú Chrónáin Round Tower Visitor Centre is operated under a management licence model where a commercial operator tenders for the right to operate at the facility. Such a model ensures that an entity working in the area of food preparation, hospitality, and retail, manages the building. Staff facilities, changing room, and office space are limited and allocated to those involved in delivering the service. This operating model has been in place since the centre opened in 2017 and has ensured the centre has stayed open 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  Over that period of time, over 500,000 have crossed the threshold of the centre because it has been open every day of the week. This continuity of service was a feature of the management licence model. The centre only closed when public buildings and visitor attractions were mandated to remain closed during the Covid 19 global pandemic.  The most recent operator kept the centre open since Covid 19. Unfortunately, this operator ceased trading in December due to their own commercial situation.

The Council is working towards ensuring that the Round Tower Visitor Centre reopens as soon as possible and is working with all stakeholders to ensure this happens. The Council appreciates the understanding given by the public and others as it works through the process to secure a new management licence holder. Work on this process began immediately the previous operator ceased trading two weeks before Christmas. The Council has now selected a preferred operator and is in negotiations with said operator to arrange a soft launch of the service within the next few weeks, pending contract negotiations.

The council is more than satisfied that the current operating model has proven to be very successful since the centre opened in 2017 and therefore will not convene a meeting to decide a new management model at the centre.