Cork City Council has issued a statement explaining the Fifth Quarter Plaza closure
Local foodies are ‘gutted’ it’s gone.
But Cork City Council has defended its decision to shut down the popular Fifth Quarter plaza on Paul Street in Cork City tomorrow.
The team behind the lunch spot shared the news on Instagram, thanking the Cork community for its support since opening the space, home to food trucks such as Cairo 2 Cork and Little Vietnam.
In a statement, they said what started as an idea quickly grew into “something much bigger” — a place where people could gather, connect, support local businesses and enjoy the atmosphere created in the square.
Responding to widespread criticism of the decision, Cork City Council highlighted its support of outdoor ventures, provided they comply with planning rules.
“Cork City Council, as the planning authority, has a statutory responsibility to take appropriate action where unauthorised activity is occurring,” said a spokesperson.
“At the same time, it is broadly supportive of initiatives that animate and enhance public spaces, especially in the city centre, as evidenced by measures such as the pedestrianisation of city streets, the facilitation of the Prince’s Street “eat on the street” proposal, and its support of the Cork on a Fork festival, recently named the world’s top food festival, which features an outdoor Shared Table dining event.
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“The City Council is open to engaging constructively with interested parties to develop good ideas that improve the overall city centre experience, provided they are delivered in a compliant, structured and well-managed manner.’
While the closure will come as disappointing news to many regular visitors, the team says they’re already looking ahead and hope to bring “a new and exciting concept” to the space in the near future.
For now, Corkonians will have to wait and see what’s next, with the owners teasing: “Watch this space.”
