LOCAL punters are revolting against Conor McGregor’s pub amid the fallout from his civil rape case.
The Irish Sun yesterday visited McGregor’s Black Forge Inn in Dublin 12 and found the boozer virtually empty at lunchtime.
Our reporter simultaneously visited three other nearby bars – the Halfway House, the Castle Inn and Eleanora’s – who were doing brisk trade.
And speaking to the Irish Sun last night, locals told the Irish Sun rival bars in the area had been “mopping up” business with shamed McGregor’s brand in ruins.
One local told us: “The other bars in the area are doing well.
“It (the civil rape case verdict) is very raw for a lot of people around here.”
The Halfway House, the Castle Inn and Eleanora’s were yesterday lapping up a steady trade when the Irish Sun dropped by around 1pm.
But when we walked into the Black Forge, our reporter didn’t see any punters propping up the bar and was instead greeted by a single barman.
Sources told how the Black Forge had lost local trade ever since MMA star McGregor snapped it up.
And they revealed there had been “real anger” since the pro-brawler-turned- businessman’s civil rape case.
One source said: “McGregor has lost a lot of local punters who used to drink in the Black Forge. He wouldn’t have the same local trade as the others.
“The Halfway House, the Castle Inn and Eleanora’s would have a strong local trade.
“A lot of the Castle Inn customers were Black Forge customers before McGregor bought it. But there have been more Black Forge customers coming to the Castle Inn.
“A lot of lads have moved over. There is no doubt there has been a backlash against him. There is real anger.”
The source insisted the Black Forge Inn previously enjoyed a stronger local trade before McGregor moved to buy the joint.
They continued: “Half the lads in the Castle Inn used to drink over in the Black Forge. But more lads have been coming over to the Castle Inn.
“There wouldn’t be many local punters in the Black Forge now, it is more of a destination for tourists, a lot of one day customers coming from Dublin airport.
“There is no doubt the Castle Inn, the Halfway House and Eleanora’s would have a stronger crowd of local customers.”
The Irish Sun witnessed a stack of regulars at the Halfway House and the Castle Inn yesterday lunchtime, while Eleanora’s confirmed their trade was “flying”.
The Halfway House, the Castle Inn and Eleanora’s all confirmed to the Irish Sun that they do not sell McGregor associated Proper No 12 Whiskey or Forged Irish Stout.
And despite being just ten doors up from the Black Forge Inn, insiders told how bosses at Eleanora’s do not consider McGregor’s outfit a threat.
A source told us: “Eleanora’s never really saw McGregor as competition. It is a different type of crowd. There are people who will support him like Trump supporters, they don’t care what he does. A lot of McGregor’s trade would be tourists.”
The Black Forge Inn, which boasts US and Irish flags, was deserted when our reporter called around 1pm yesterday.
When we asked a staff member how trade was going on following McGregor’s civil rape case, they replied: “No comment. “
With tumbleweed blowing through the Black Forge Inn yesterday lunchtime, the thug’s lucrative commercial tie-ups also continued to tank.
The UK’s largest independent drinks retailer announced it was also ditching McGregor’s booze brands, LWC saying they don’t want to be associated with the Notorious or his stout following his civil rape case.
McGregor, 36, was last week ordered to pay victim Nikita Hand, 35, almost €250,000 in damages after a High Court jury ruled she was “brutally” raped and “battered” by the UFC ace in a Dublin hotel penthouse six years ago.
LWC Drinks, which delivers, beer, wine and spirits to 15,000 UK stores, joined the growing boycott of the MMA’s brute’s booze products.
“Half the lads in the Castle Inn used to drink over in the Black Forge. But more lads have been coming over to the Castle Inn.”
Local punter
Among the McGregor-linked products getting the chop is Forged Irish Stout, a beer brand owned by the former UFC champion.
Proper No 12 Whiskey and Proper No 12 Apple Whiskey is also being pulled – with McGregor still continuing to promote Proper No 12 products despite selling the whiskey brand after launching it.
LWC Drinks said: “In light of Friday’s civil court ruling against Conor McGregor, LWC, the UK’s largest independent drinks wholesaler has taken the necessary legal steps to terminate its agreement to distribute Forged Irish Stout.
“We are consulting with our customers to support them in the replacement of Forged draught taps. LWC does not want to be associated with Conor McGregor or Forged Irish Stout.”
The decision of LWC Drinks followed both Tesco and Asda in the UK who have axed Forged Irish Stout as well as Proper No 12 Whiskey.
The latest commercial culls add to the long list of Irish stores who have already moved to shun McGregor’s booze brands.
