A landmark pub in Ballsbridge is to be completely redeveloped in contemporary style with the inclusion of offices on the upper three floors, subject to planning approval. Horse Show House was acquired by the Madigan Group in 1966 and occupies a key site on a third of an acre opposite the RDS on Merrion Road.

The Madigan Group operates public houses in Donaghmede and Donnybrook and the Silver Tassie pub at Loughlinstown.

According to the developers, the refurbished public house and offices will be in keeping with the contemporary design of other redeveloped sites in the area. These include the adjoining Sweepstakes, the AIB Bankcentre, the former Johnston Mooney & O'Brien site, and the old Crampton builders yard on Shelbourne Road. Traditional stone cladding will be used externally to complement many of the older buildings in the area.

The planning application which has been submitted allows for a four-storey building comprising a public house at ground floor level and offices overhead. It is intended that the office building will have its own identity independent of the public house. A basement car-park will provide 22 car spaces. The proposed total gross floor area is 4,500 sq metres, including 2,500 sq metres of offices.

The revamped Horse Show House will measure 1,114 sq metres with bar areas at ground floor level staff rooms and stores in the basement.

If the planning application is successful, redevelopment work will start towards the end of this year, with the pub's re-opening early in 2001. Architects for the proposed redevelopment are the Campbell Conroy Hickey Partnership, while Palmer McCormack will act as letting agents for the office areas.