Thank you so much to everyone who has signed. We passed 250 signatures so I felt it was time to deliver the petition to the council. I also shared this short video with them, created by a young customer of the Bumble Bean:
https://youtu.be/-UPPIXjYQi0?si=RFqfJ7JHM5038xtW
Unfortunately their response is not what we would have wished - the full response is below, but in essence the position of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown is that the space beneath the bandstand, which Gwen used for storage & access to electricity, has been repurposed and Gwen can no longer have access. With timing being so short they feel there is no realistic way to bring the Bumble Bean back to Blackrock Park.
I'm incredibly disappointed, but as the new kiosk has already gone out to tender I hope that we will see something opening at least by early autumn.
I've been in touch with Gwen and whilst she is disappointed like myself, she has lots going on and the Bumble Bean will be seen at many local events over the coming weeks.
To: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
Bring the Bumble Bean Back to Blackrock Park
For nearly four years, the lives of the people and their four legged friends who use Blackrock Park, have been enriched by the Bumble Bean, and the wonderful Gwen, serving up hot drinks, snacks, ice cream and of course dog treats! She's brought so many people together, and created a real sense of community amongst those of us who regularly use the park.
With the redevelopment of the tea rooms, we knew that change was a foot.
However, we did not expect to have many months with no tea, coffee, snacks, chats or dog treats!
Gwen would be very happy to come back to Blackrock Park and operate the Bumble Bean on a month by month contract until the tea rooms are ready to open. We all want her back. We just need the council to allow her back!
With the redevelopment of the tea rooms, we knew that change was a foot.
However, we did not expect to have many months with no tea, coffee, snacks, chats or dog treats!
Gwen would be very happy to come back to Blackrock Park and operate the Bumble Bean on a month by month contract until the tea rooms are ready to open. We all want her back. We just need the council to allow her back!
Why is this important?
Please sign this petition so that we can get the message across to the council that we miss Gwen, we miss our chats, we miss our coffee, and our dogs miss their treats!
The more people who sign, the more likely it is that the council will take notice.
We are just at the start of the summer, it will be months before the tea rooms are ready to open. It seems so wrong to go a whole summer with no food and drink option in Blackrock Park. Gwen has built such a lovely community around the bandstand, we all chat while waiting to get our coffees, our dogs sit and wait patiently for their treats while we chat. That sense of community is slowly disappearing now Gwen has gone, we need it back.
Please sign - thank you!