RESTAURANTS AND HAIR SALONS OPEN THEIR DOORS AGAIN
IT was one of the most eagerly awaited dates in the accelerated lifting of lockdown restrictions - the day when Ireland’s famous pubs could reopen. There was, however, a twist as customers had to purchase a substantial meal costing a minimum of €9 before they could sink a pint of or sip a glass of prosecco.
Ensuring these conditions are fulfilled is no problem to one of Dundalk’s top gastro pubs, The Windsor Bar and Restaurant, Dublin Street.
‘Obviously it’s good to be back,’ says publican Donal McGeough. ‘It’s great to be open and back to some or of routine apart from the fact that it’s completely different.’
Like pubs around the country, the popular premises had to close its doors in mid-March, and while McGeoughs in Roden Place and Kennedy’s Railway Bar, run by his brothers Andrew and Eugene, opted to provide takeaways once Phase 2 began, Donal waited until he could fully re-open.
Staff were laid off and received COVID payments and
Donal is delighted to have them back working. ‘ The Government wage subsidy scheme is a great help for although we are open, we are not doing the same numbers as we were although we still have the same staff.’
‘We are working with half our seating capacity to ensure social distancing and to keep our customers and staff safe,’ says Donal. ‘Luckily for us we have such a big premises so we are well able to cater for customers. At night time we have plenty of room for up to 100 people to maintain social distancing.’
Donal reveals that they are not doing different sittings as they want to avoid large groups of people leaving and arriving at the one time, but will be taking bookings on a staggered basis. ‘We are not getting big parties, but mostly couples or groups of four.’ And after weeks of lockdown, he says customers are in the mood to spend a bit more. ‘ They want to make the most of their time, have a meal and a couple of pints or a bottle of wine.’
Derek McGarrity of Lily Finegan’s has decided to close the doors of the popular Whitestown venue until July 20 after re-opening for a trial basis at the start of July. Having carried out major works in preparation for re-opening, he said that while all the customers who entered the premises that weekend were ‘respectful, understanding and amenable’ to the changes they had made, he had with ‘ the heaviest of hearts’ decided to close it again due ‘ the confusing and never ending changes to advice, guidelines, recommendations, different interpretations of the law and basically the total lack of clarity. ‘ To say I’m devastated and deeply frustrated by this is an understatement, I feel I am letting down all of our regular customers and friends who visited here over the past few days and those who had tables booked, and who were all so looking forward to a return to some sort of normality.’