New outdoor dining scheme in partnership with Mayo County Council

A NEW €17 million scheme for developing outdoor dining capacity nationwide was launched today by Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin and Fáilte Ireland.

Welcoming the scheme, Fine Gael spokesperson on tourism and sports Alan Dillon said it has real potential to support jobs and businesses and to transform appropriate outdoor spaces within our towns and villages as welcoming, vibrant places that will help support our economic recovery.

Deputy Michael Ring said the scheme will enable local authorities to develop permanent outdoor public dining spaces in towns and urban centres across the country, similar to those that exist in various European cities.

“Developing outdoor dining and socialising spaces will help to improve the vibrancy of our towns across Mayo and bring them more in line with the European model,” he commented.

Outlining details, Deputy Dillon explained: “This scheme is divided into two main objectives - firstly to enable individual tourism and hospitality businesses increase their dining and seating capacity in the short-term and secondly to enable a long-term strategy for local authorities to develop permanent weatherproof outdoor dining infrastructure.

“Mayo County Council will administer part one of this scheme locally and it is open to individual tourism and hospitality businesses, including hotels, cafes, restaurants and attractions where food is sold for consumption on the premises.”

Applicants can apply for a grant of up to €4,000 (up to 75% of the ex-VAT cost of equipment purchased/installed). Costs for outdoor tables, chairs, umbrellas, electric heaters, screens/windbreaks,  plant stands and wooden platforms will be covered under the scheme.

Expenditure must be incurred between April 1 and September 30 of this year.

The scheme will open for applications on April 12 through local authority websites.

Part two of the scheme relates to weatherproofing and outdoor dining infrastructure which focuses on the development of medium to large scale permanent public dining spaces in towns and centres in preparation for welcoming back visitors when it is safe to do so. Each local authority can apply for up to €200,000 under this element of the scheme.

Said Deputy Dillon: “I certainly look forward to many businesses in the county submitting applications for the creation of outdoor seating and dining experiences that not only benefit locals, but are also attractive to domestic and overseas visitors when the sector re-opens.

“Developing outdoor infrastructure is a key element of answering the consumer demand for more flexible dining options.”

Applications open for the scheme on April 12.