Popular British pub chain Wetherspoons is set to leap at the opportunity of acquiring Dublin’s two most popular gay clubs, The George and The Dragon, which went on the market earlier this week.

Together with Café en Seine and Howl at the Moon, both located in Dublin 2, the four bars were part of Capital Bars Group, which entered into receivership in 2009.

Wetherspoons, which had been planning its entrance into the Irish market next month with the opening of its first pub in Blackrock, is reported by the Sunday Independent as being in detailed discussions about purchasing the entire portfolio.

The popular UK chain is planning to open 30 pubs in Ireland in the coming years and is likely to fetch landmark establishments at price tags almost 70 per cent lower than during the boom. It has an excess of 900 pubs in the UK and continues to hold the title of ‘most-visited pub and casual dining brand’. Tim Martin, Chairman at Wetherspoons, has confirmed that the company is looking at potential locations throughout Ireland.

The George and The Dragon – both located on South Great Georges Street – were each placed on the market with a price tag of €3.5 million last Wednesday.