Dublin city’s “night-time economy” is a buzz-phrase that has dominated discourse around socialising in the centre of the capital for years, prompting a Government taskforce aimed at getting more people to go out and spend money between the hours of 6pm and 6am.

Dublin City Council (DCC) has earmarked three areas requiring long-term improvement, with the aim of improving the experience of residents and tourists alike: cultural activity, mobility and transport, and safety.

On the streets of the city centre last Saturday night, the first impression was that the first weekend of November may have been a little more subdued than usual.

However, the Dublin By Night Fest taking place across three landmark locations – Dame Street, College Green and Capel Street – between 6pm and 10pm was attended by an estimated 80,000 people. Remnants of Halloween were evident in occasional flurries of costumes.

But Ireland and New Zealand’s rugby international, showing on terrestrial television with an 8.10pm kick-off, seemed to have convinced some to stay at home, or perhaps settle into particular venues for the evening.

We began on Abbey Street on Dublin’s north side, at The Flowing Tide. Fergus McCabe is one of three owners who took over and renovated the long-established pub three years ago, adding a couple of snugs but leaning into its traditional essence on the advice of customers.

“There are so many trendy bars that open up,” McCabe said. “Myself personally, I find that a lot of trendy bars can be kind of fickle. You look at stuff that’s been here, tried and tested, for 100 years. In our case, nearly 200 years.”

Stained glass windows, designed by Tony Inglis in the style of Harry Clarke, adorn the walls of The Flowing Tide alongside paraphernalia from the Abbey Theatre, just across the road. Actors and playgoers are regular patrons, along with others who stop in en route to gigs at the 3Arena, and a general assortment of office workers and locals.

Fergus McCabe, co-owner of The Flowing Tide: 'If you listen to what people want, that works.' Photograph: Tom Honan

“We’re very consistent and I’d put that down to a couple of things,” McCabe said. “If you look outside, we’re on the main route to the two Luas lines. Your nearest cab rank is about 20 metres away, so you’re never hanging around here. As a result of that, you get all sorts of different people.”

McCabe and his co-owners did a similar refurbishment of The King’s Inn Pub on Henrietta Street, and focusing on customers has been key to their model, he said.

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“We don’t dictate what goes on,” he said. “We think it’s logical and that’s why we’re busy. So, I would say Dublin is a great city to do business in.