The Bitterest Grill

at

Last year’s Big Grill festival in Herbert Park, Dublin 4

The Big Grill food festival takes place in Herbert Park, Dublin 4 this weekend.

Local residents are licking their lips…

Oh

Richard T writes:

Seems like the good denizens of of Donnybrook/Ballsbridge don’t like their park occupied for 3 days per year!

FIGHT!

The Big Grill Festival

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69 thoughts on “The Bitterest Grill

  1. Luke Warm

    I don’t blame them. I also deplore commercialisation of the public realm. It’s creeping and insidious

    1. VinLieger

      Your against encouraging families out to enjoy public spaces and help smaller business make some money?

      1. Luke Warm

        If smaller business don’t make enough money without hijacking public space maybe there’s an issue with their business model

        1. VinLieger

          “hijacking”…. hilarious, have you ever been to dun laoighaire peoples park on a sunday? Its glorious, full of families enjoying a day out, lovely food stalls, arts and crafts sellers,. Calling that hijacking is pretty far fetched and small minded view of the world.

      2. Louis Lefronde

        Oh dear god……

        The Big Grill like ‘The Taste of Dublin’ is a racket. I went two years ago, and will never go back. You have to pay an entrance fee into what is normally a public park (€15 or €18) and what do you get in return….nothing! You can’t use your own money, you have to buy their vouchers which you can’t exchange back if they’re not used, so it sucks.

        Never again.

        1. Shayna

          Ah, the buying of vouchers. That’s led me slant on my view of the week-end. It looks a tad scammish on it.

          1. Bonkers

            I went last year and they have the vouchers priced so you cant even get a bite to eat and a pint without leaving a fiver behind you. And this after paying in, its a scam for sure, wont be back.

  2. Jonjo

    I love people having a go at the residents in these situations.

    Only 3 days. They should get over it.

    Same is said over the Croke Park gigs.

    Always said by people who don’t live in the vicinity.

    1. Goosey Lucy

      Croke Park is entirely different- it’s not exactly 3 days only, is it? Add to that there’s not likely to be 80,000 descend on this event- over both days.
      Some people love a good oul moan

      1. Shayna

        The moaning of the residents near Croker resulted in the ultimate disappointment of the nation when they protested against Garth Brooks adding another night to acccommodate the demand for tickets. People in rural towns slept outside for days (I’m not kidding) at their local Ticketmaster outlet queuing for a chance to buy a ticket.
        It must be an inconvenience to live near Croke Park, but, it’s been there a long time, and it’s surely accepted by now, that life occasionally throws inconveniences in one’s path.
        A day or two of barbecuing must really stress out the D4 types, my heart does go out to the poor folk.

          1. Shayna

            Perhaps I did go a tad overboard. It was merely intended as a vehicle to highlight how precious people think they are more special than others. I didn’t know who Garth Brooks was, until the whole furore. Ta, Brother for notcing

    2. VinLieger

      Its in no way similar to croke park, it brings nothing like the numbers a single one night concert does and its spaced over 4 days, it shuts down every night at 10 o clock so no issue with music and residents trying to sleep. they are held in an enclosed space in 1 section of the park, the majority of the park is still completely accessible so nothing to complain about not being able to enjoy the park either.

  3. VinLieger

    Ridiculous nimby’s, its 1 weekend a year FFS, also they are their rules they can ignore them if they want……

        1. Nigel

          So this pack of raging frothing fun-killing local NIMBY monsters could be literally one person who fancies themselves a legal wizard but didn’t read the sub-clauses? Lord spare us.

    1. Nigel

      Has anyone actually checked with the locals to see if their objections have merit? Or is is the usual schtick of people who moan about how awful everything is automatically attacking people who actually try to do something about whatever it is that’s bothering them?

      1. Vote Rep #1

        Well, the person/people complaining are from a nice area so therefore their issues are to be met with nothing but scorn. I’d imagine that if the area was more working class, the people here telling that person/people to just get over it would be completely agreeing with them.

        1. Nigel

          I wish I shared your sunny optimism about human nature. I’m pretty sure some angle would have been found from which to attack to objectors in a working class area.

        2. Listrade

          Nah, in that scenario we prefer to use the national media to coordinate false claims by the Gardai about them and then put them on trial.

  4. Shayna

    Oh for Heaven’s sake. A few days a year shouldn’t be overly bothersome to most types. DCC earn a few bob to pay for bulbs for the street-lamps and what-not. In The North, roads are closed periodically over July/August to allow Orange types to parade and march, and are there any complaints? (Sorry bad example).

  5. Zaccone

    The weekly food market in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire is the way to do this: no booze, no loud music, and free entry. This means the public can actually still enjoy the park, alongside the food stands creating a bit of atmosphere and generating money for themselves. Everyone wins.

    Charging a massive entry fee (19eur) to enter a public park, as the Big Grill does, is taking the piss. Even more so when you’re also expected to pay full whack for booze and food in there, using Itchy & Scratchy Coupons that you’re forced to buy.

    1. VinLieger

      I agree the peoples park is fantastic, i regularly go, i also enjoy the big grill, do you know why? Cus they are DIFFERENT.
      Also they arent charging 19 euro to enter a public park, they are charging 19 euro to enter a specific entirely closed off section of the park, the majority of the park is still completely open to public use.

      1. Ronan

        They’re charging €19 to enter what is, at all other times, a public park.

        When councils grant exclusive access of public parks (or parts of public parks) to private enterprises for commercial purposes like this, they should be mandated to publish how much of a fee they are charging, and what it’s being allocated to in their budget. I’m thinking also of Marlay Park and the summer concerts, which put much of the park (and parking at the park) out of bounds for a couple of weekends when the demand for the park is often at its peak.

        1. VinLieger

          No they are not, the vast majority of the park is still open to public access, the grill itself is a closed off section using temporary fencing within the park that you need a ticket to enter.

    2. gerry

      Booze isn’t evil adults should be able to enjoy a drink with their food at events like this. It is hilarious though that they’re charging in to an event which is a sold of stalls that you buy food at. Only in Dublin.

    3. hex

      A weekend a year, where nobody is forced to buy anything – it’s the punter’s choice to do so, might well be a less intrusive model for boosting park income than a weekly food market (where people have to pay full whack for non-alcoholic drink and food – with regular money). The €19 entry charge in Herbert Park isn’t just to have access to buying grub – there’s a pretty decent range of entertaining options without eating or drinking anything.

      As a resident in the Croke Park area, I’m well used to the inconvenience of public events, but nimbyism is no more welcome in leafy D4 than another part of a city – where the density of people requires the odd bit of compromise.

      1. Shayna

        Nice one, Hex. I’ll be in Jones’s Road at the end of the month. I can’t promise that there won’t be noise when Tyrone beat the Dubs. :)

  6. TheRealJane

    Which food retailer are you, Vin? No disinterested party is this passionate about spending a whole twenty to get into a venue to buy a burger for more money.

    1. VinLieger

      Ohh im not associated in any way i just detest nimbyism, i had tickets this year but now cant go unfortunately

    1. Stephen

      checkmate, home run, touchdown, knockout, jenga, buckaroo, i rest my case, don’t speak
      I know just what you’re saying
      So please stop explaining
      Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts

  7. paddy apathy

    The first photo is from 2 years ago. My family and I are pictured. We weren’t there last year. Justsayinlike.

      1. paddy apathy

        My kids were 3 and 1 yrs old at the time. We might go back when they’re old enough to buy me a beer.

  8. Djin Genie

    Actually on for 4 days, not 3, plus presumably closed off for setup and teardown. Rest of the park won’t really be enjoyable what with loud, repetitive music/cooking demos/MCs over the PA and smoke from all the charcoal, so I do empathise with locals -especially those living in the many houses/flats overlooking the park.

    Free public events are a great way to enjoy different parks in the city, plus compatible with residential areas because they’re on in the daytime and not as noisy. Letting private companies take over public spaces like this is totally different and I don’t like it. Some cultural events might merit the use of community resources but I hardly think jumping on the overpriced BBQ bandwagon is one of them.

    1. Luke Warm

      Hear! Hear!

      Wtf is it anyway only a load of oul wans cooking a few steaks and wetting their pants over it? Get a life FFS

    1. Zoella

      Ah FFS, it’s just another park bench. You’d see an eyesore in the Sistine Chapel. RIP Gerry, he gave plenty of people a laugh which is more than you can say for yourself.

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