Back When The Beach House Was Super-Classy

The Beach House late #70s Tony Farrelly, Larry Silery, John O’Leary, Niels Jan Pedersen. Pic: Jimmy Reilly

n recent weeks, we’ve been lucky enough to have gained access – thanks to the lovely Mary Fogarty – to the Bray People archives…

And, despite the grain and the grime, finding features on the Greystones of old feels like unearthing buried treasure.

Such as this puff piece from February 4th, 1983, on the then recently-refurbished Beach House.

Man, what a super-classy place. Then again, it was designed for super-classy people. Who reckon Wham! are the greatest band in the world.

People just like you.

Here’s de spiel. And remember, some poor lackey has been given the job of making a pub makeover sound exciting and enticing. So, best to read these words in your best Alan Partridge voice…

Relax In Comfort And Elegance At The Beach House

A PERFECT balance between comfort and elegance, relaxation and style has been struck at the newly renovated Beach House on the harbour front at Greystones. The builders have just completed an extensive programme of redecoration and refurbishment, and the result is one of the most attractive places to enjoy a drink in the North Wicklow area.

An elegant and tasteful decor blended with friendly and comfortable atmosphere awaits customers visiting the premises and there’s no doubt it’s a winner.
Keeping very much in harmony with the colour of the surrounding seas and countryside, a restful green has formed the basis for the interior decorations at the Beach House.

Carpets, lighting, seating and decorations have all been carefully woven together, and the design is enhanced by an outstanding display of house plants.
An open plan style has been followed in the Beach House and all walks of life are catered for by the division of the lounge into carpeted and tiled areas.
The interior has been built very much with safety in mind, with the plans for the premises receiving approval from the fire authorities.

Gracing the surroundings are a series of beautifully taken colour photographic prints of Greystones taken during a sea swell some years ago.
The photographs were taken by a very talented cameraman during a visit to the town and their excellence was recognised by the Beach House, which acquired them, had them framed and now very proudly have them adorning the premises.

Long established in Greystones, the Beach House is very conscious about local trade and their first priority is to provide a top-class service for people from the town and surrounding areas.
Greystones is, of course, also a perfect location for a day trip or an afternoon stroll, and the Beach House also caters very much for visitors to the area coming in for a drink.

With both these points in mind, the management can ensure a fast, efficient and friendly service from the bar staff, with all drinks being brought to the customer.
A note for customers to remember is that the Beach House operates a very strict rule of not serving under-age drinkers, and nobody under twenty-one is served.
As the management points out, they take their responsibilities with regard to under-age drinking very seriously. They feel that in the past publicans have, on occasion, earned a very bad image through tolerating under-age drinking, and, in fact, the Beach House is very much in favour of the introduction of an identity card scheme in the area.
Similarly, the Beach House is very strict about their rule of not allowing children on the premises after 6pm.

As already mentioned in relation to the decor, the interior of the Beach House is divided into tiled and carpeted areas – all with the intention of providing a choice of style for the customer.
As management points out, the aim of this is to provide a relaxed atmosphere in which customers need feel no inhibitions about dress. In short, all walks of life are catered for.

Future plans at the Beach House include the introduction of an excellent range of bar snacks such as cocktail sausages and chips in a basket, salads and a number of fish dishes, plus sandwiches and coffee.
This summer, it is planned to provide tables, chairs and parasols for a beer garden on a terrace at the rere of the premises.

It all adds up to one of the most welcome additions to the pub scene in North Wicklow for quite some time, so why not drop in and judge for yourself.

Be the holy. It’s probably best to read some of those sentences at least twice. Just so their real beauty sinks in.

You can check out the history of Dann’s right here.