Recruitment begins as Park Rí 'destination stop and food court' set to open in Kells this summer
Construction of the new Park Rí, described as "a destination stop and food court" on the Cavan Road in Kells, is nearing completion. Work on the three acre site began last July, providing 50 jobs, and the facility is due to open in early summer, promising a further 50 jobs.
According to the owner, Micheál McKeon who has been in business in Kells since 1989, the name 'Park Rí' comes from Meath being associated with the main power base of the High Kings of Ireland, rí being the Irish word for king.
He said that Park Rí will be "a destination stop fit for a king" that will include a convenience store and extended dining experience options that suit all the family. With food sourced locally in Meath where possible, Park Rí will offer a family orientated experience for day-time to evening dining that will be attractive to the local community and those travelling by car, truck or bus on the road network.
The operations director is Damien Duffy and the financial director is David Quirke, both have worked with Micheál for 18 years in his retail and construction businesses.
Damien Duffy says: “We are very excited as we get close to the opening of Park Rí. We are currently recruiting for a number of roles in Supermacs and have a recruitment open day in the Headfort Arms Hotel on Thursday 5th March from 11am to 6pm. The roles include catering staff, grill chefs, pizza chefs and service team members. We will be embarking on a larger recruitment drive in late March for both full and part time jobs for the other facilities in Park Rí.”
Damien explained that the Park Rí Food Court will provide an overall seating area for 200 people. Food outlets will include Supermacs and Papa John’s Pizza, with a drive-through option; while Kanoodle will freshly prepared Thai and Vietnamese Food, ‘Kells Kitchen’ will be serving breakfast, brunch and lunch; ‘The Cook of Kells’ a carvery, rotisserie and evening grill and the Barrista Coffee Bar will serve Essence Coffee, roasted in Trim.
There will be a truck and bus park and facilities with over 100 parking spaces overall. Circle K is to provide fuel, and there will also be a number of electric charge points.
Architect for Park Rí is Kells based Paul O’Neill Architects.
“The building - standing at 18,000 square feet - has been designed with sustainability in mind and aims to achieve an A rating on the Building Energy Rating (BER) system," Paul O'Neill explains.
"Utilising a glue-laminated (glulam) timber structure, a thermally efficient sedum grass roof and key features such as rainwater harvesting, the building’s carbon footprint has been significantly reduced. The sedum grass roof, a key feature of the new design, will be planted with native species and, as well as changing colour across the various seasons, will provide an important natural habitat for bees and other wildlife, which are essential to our ecosystem. The contemporary design of this scheme, on this pivotal site within the town, reflects the forward looking nature and ambitions of the town as a whole”.
The interior architect for Park Rí is Fergus Darcy who says: “The interiors of the building have been designed to create a warm and welcoming modern environment, using materials such as polished concrete, timber and glass to enhance the experience for visitors, whether they be dashing in for a quick coffee on the run or enjoying a long leisurely lunch, there really will be a space for everyone”.