Profits at one of the best known pubs in the country, Johnnie Fox's, last year increased more than five-fold to €631,213.
New accounts filed by Fox’s Pub Ltd show that the profits of €631,213 in the 12 months to the end of March last followed profits of €110,211 in the prior year.
Business Manager at Johnnie Fox’s pub and restaurant, Kaitlin McMahon said: "Post Covid, customers expected more from our industry, looking for experiences, looking for more than just quick food and a fresh pint and Johnnie Fox’s has always 'raised the bar’."
On the sharp rise in profits last year at the pub at Glencullen in the Dublin mountains, Ms McMahon said: "Of course footfall numbers were larger but in particular 'Day 2’ weddings were a big hit, along with a lot of Winter and Summer corporate events."
Ms McMahon said that "the entire venue was exclusively booked by three different multinationals throughout the year".
The pub and restaurant is a substantial employer in the local area.
Ms McMahon confirmed that the business has 147 staff plus 30 musicians and 17 Irish dancers.
The venue stages around 270 shows each year and Irish dancers are rotated each show.
She said: "The music is seven nights a week and all day Saturday and Sunday, so those who can give full hours to our roster are on it."
Ms McMahon said that a lot of those employed at the venue are local "and we are proud to say we have 14 Ukrainian staff working for us and have provided accommodation for them".
On the level of business since last March, Ms McMahon said: "While we have continued with the same level of business, the ever increasing price hikes by our suppliers is a huge difficulty that all of our industry is facing."
Accumulated profits at the company at the end of last March totalled €1.62 million. The company's cash pile more than doubled from €420,051 to €953,552.
The value of the company’s property, plant and equipment increased to €2.825m.
The McMahon family owned pub often makes the 'to do’ list for tourists touring Ireland and over the years, the pub has provided hospitality to seven Heads of State, six prime Ministers along with celebrities that include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie while Brian Keenan enjoyed his first pint in Ireland at Johnny Fox’s after his release.
The profit last year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of €99,011.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
