Martin keeps on moving

January and February are generally the quietest times in village pubs, and often the opportunity is used to do a lick or paint and the hammer of an odd nail.

For Martin Myles in The Hideout, it's a bit more than that. Over the last week he's had the demolishers in to the restaurant area, and as we write the walls of the lounge have been stripped of their many decorations in preparation for a good repainting.

The rebuilt restaurant will be reopening in three weeks, and new head chef Doug Harrington formerly from Chapter 16 in Kildare Town, has already arrived to take charge of the the kitchen.

Martin intends that the restaurant will reflect the theme of Dan Donnelly, the 19th century pugilist whose story has had connections with The Hideout since the early fifties.

In the meantime, Martin has already extended the off-licence section substantially, and in the process has made the public bar smaller and more cosy, as it was in the past.

Since he took over the operation of the pub some years ago, Martin Myles has constantly worked to re-establish the famous hostelry to the level of popularity for which it was formerly famous.

And he's not stopping now.

Brian Byrne.