'About time' say vintners in response to pub reopening date
The two representative bodies for pubs across Ireland have welcomed the announcement that non-food pubs will be allowed to reopen, saying: “It’s about time!”
Non-food pubs will have been closed for 189 days – more than six months, by the time they get to reopen on the speculated date of September 21
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) note that pubs were the first part of the economy to close at the beginning of the crisis, with premises across the country closing their doors in the interest of public health on March 15 last.
This will be the fourth reopening date provided to non-food pubs, with the government previously having delayed reopenings scheduled for July 20, August 10 and August 31.
Currently 3,500 pubs across the country remain closed, impacting approximately 25,000 employees as well as their families.
The representative groups also noted that the government was likely to force thousands of these pubs into defaulting their mortgage should they have not been allowed to reopen, with the six-month moratorium due to close at the end of September. Banks had indicated to the vintner representative bodies that this moratorium could not be extended.
Strict guidelines have been put forward by the government which will require table service only. The guidelines also put a strong emphasis on social distancing.
Speaking about the announcement, LVA chief executive Donall O’Keeffe said: “It’s about time this decision was made. We feel there was little justification for the government to have repeatedly delayed the reopening. If all pubs are following social distancing then they should all have had the opportunity to get their doors open long before now.
“The vast majority of pubs have acted incredibly responsibly during this crisis and the pubs still closed have taken a real hit for the good of public health. It is about time that this contribution was acknowledged by the government. We look forward to raising a glass once these pubs do get to open their doors again after six long months.”
Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the VFI, added: “We have been marched up this hill several times before but this will come as a real relief to the 3,500 pubs across Ireland who are still closed as well as their staff and all the families concerned.
“The government have belatedly acknowledged that we need to live with this virus and that meant having the pubs reopened. The conditions facing these pubs will be tough once they reopen having completely missed the summer tourist season, strict guidelines being in place and their capacity severely impacted. The support package put forward by the government was derisory and this financial reality facing the pubs who are still closed needs to be recognised in a meaningful way.
“However, at least there is now a sliver of light after what has been a very dark six months.”
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) is the representative body for Dublin publicans, while the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) is the national trade organisation for pubs outside the greater Dublin area.