GOING STOUT OF BUSINESS
CLOSING time is being called on an increasing number of pubs after it was revealed 349 shut during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has emerged 5% have stopped serving since the onset of the crisis and most of them will never reopen.
Entire communities are now without somewhere to socialise, leaving many villages without a bar or even a post office.
Stark figures show Cork has lost 37 bars while 33 public houses have closed down in Dublin.
Donegal, which has only a fraction of the population of the capital, has also lost 33 pubs while Kerry has seen 22 not renew their license.
While the pubs that didn’t renew theirs can do so during the next five years, it is unlikely they will as it would be almost impossible to build up trade again after such a long period.
It is also feared many pubs will be sold to property developers and demolished or converted into apartments.
A joint survey by the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland and the Licenced Vintners’ Association shows there has been a dramatic reduction in pub licence renewals.
Both the VFI and LVA say it is imperative restrictions on trading are removed as planned on Friday.
VFI chief Padraig Cribben added: “These new figures reveal Covid’s dramatic impact on the trade over the past 19 months.
“To lose 5% of pubs in such a short time frame is unprecedented and underlines how the pub trade bore the brunt of pandemic restrictions.
“In light of recent speculation about delaying the ending of restrictions, the news that pubs are closing across the country will only heighten anxiety in the trade. Uncertainty is a key factor in why so many pubs have closed so the Government must put an end to the crisis by announcing the easing of restrictions will proceed as planned.”
The figures about closures were taken from an analysis of licence renewals published by the Revenue Commissioners.
LVA chief Donall O’keeffe added: “Losing 349 pubs across the country indicates the magnitude of what’s happened to the pub trade since March 2020.
“These pubs closed even with the Government supports in place.
“We think the reopening of latenight hospitality, the return of the bar
Pubs shut even with the Govt supports in place DONALL O’KEEFE
»»349 bars around country shut since pandemic began »»Chiefs demand the last of rules are lifted on Friday
counter, the end of mandatory table service and a resumption of normal trading hours should proceed next Friday.
“If access is limited to those who have been vaccinated there is no justification for not proceeding the easing of the rest of the restrictions.
“With more than 90% of the adult population vaccinated and vaccine passes likely to remain in place, if we can’t allow hospitality to trade relatively normally now then when will we ever be able to?
“Anticipation is high ahead of the lifting of October 22 for the simple reason that publicans are desperate to get back to normal trading.
“Many pubs and other hospitality businesses have been hanging on for this moment and any further delays will be a step too far for some. The Government needs to recognise delays will push more businesses over the edge where they will join the 349 pubs that have already been lost during the course of the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, there were 1,380 new cases of Covid yesterday with 459 patients in hospital, of which 74 are in intensive care.