DUBLINERS HAVE TAKEN to social media today to level harsh criticism at a newly opened hotel in the city centre which sought an injunction against the popular nightlife spot Yamamori Izakaya due to noise levels.

The hotel has now said the two sides have agreed to work on sound testing together this weekend in order to come to a solution. 

The Hoxton Hotel, formerly the Central Hotel on Exchequer St, opened in November after refurbishment works and adjoins Yamamori Izakaya, a restaurant and bar where live music is played five nights a week. 

The Irish Times reported yesterday that the hotel had sought a High Court injunction against Yamamori Izakaya over noise levels. 

The news was met with outrage by many people who shared their opinions of the injunction request in comments on the hotel’s Instagram account.

“What do you have to say for yourselves building a hotel on the busiest street in Dublin late last year, and imposing legal action on an established club that has been there for over a decade?!” one person wrote, sharing a similar sentiment with many other commenters. 

“Leave Dublin’s night life alone. Is this the sort of contribution you’re bringing to our city?” another person wrote. 

A number of comments referred to Dublin’s already dwindling late night dance spaces. 

In a post on its own Instagram account, Yamamori Izakaya thanked those who have shown it support but added it would not be commenting further. 

In a statement this evening, a spokesperson for Trinity Hospitality said that the noise levels coming from the venue, which have led to multiple complaints from guests, have meant the hotel cannot offer a quarter of its rooms. 

“Trinity Hospitality has been seeking to engage constructively with Yamamori Izakaya since late November to conduct joint acoustic testing across both the restaurant unit and the hotel bedrooms to help find a solution,” the spokesperson said.

“Unfortunately, that testing has not yet been facilitated by Yamamori Izakaya, preventing meaningful technical discussions on a solution,” the company said had left it with “no choice but to seek this injunction, which relates solely to enabling and accelerating this collaborative process”.

Trinity Hospitality said that during the recent refurbishment of the hotel, it installed “extensive sound-mitigation measures” but added that Yamamori Izakaya had begun holding late-night DJ events in the restaurant section of the premises, not just in the basement where they were usually held. 

“We are not seeking to curtail cultural or nightlife activity,” the spokesperson said.

“We consider Yamamori Izakaya a hugely important part of the local nightlife scene and would like to see it thrive,” adding that the company was “delighted” that, following communication this morning, “representatives of Yamamori Izakaya have now agreed to joint testing, which we are trying to arrange for this weekend”. 

Yamamori Izakaya has been contacted and asked to confirm that this is the case.