Local businesses close and some even stop providing takeaway service
AS the number of COVID-19 cases continues to sky rocket in Louth, at number of local businesses announced last week that they were closing after staff members contracted the virus or were identified as close contacts.
McKevitts Hotel, Carlingford posted on their Facebook page last Monday, December 28, that they were closed and would no longer be providing a takeaway service as permitted under the restrictions at the time. ‘After all our best efforts to avoid COVID 19 unfortunately one of our members of staff has contracted the virus. Thankfully they are doing well. In our area it has become rampant and we all need to come together to get through this. Take care everyone & be safe!’
Earlier in the year, the hotel hit the headlines when they refused to serve a Dublin couple who had broken the restrictions by travelling outside of their county. The couple’s daughter wrote a scathing review of the hotel on Tripadvisor but local people praised the actions of hotelier Terry McKevitt and staff.
The following day, Tuesday December 29, it was the turn of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Blackrock, to inform customers that they were closing. In a Facebook post , they announced: ‘It has come to our attention that a customer who was in the premises on the night of the 22nd of Dec, has tested positive for Covid 19, a staff member has since tested positive and was working Christmas eve Morning. We are taking all necessary protocols to ensure we follow guidelines and the rest of the staff have arranged to be tested, if you develop symptoms isolate and get tested. Both Staff and customer I believe have mild symptoms and are in relatively good health. Please keep safe and mind each other.’
And on Thursday, just as they had been preparing to offer a take out service once again, Rocksalt in Blackrock posted ‘Due to the new restrictions, surge in cases in louth and a couple of close contacts in our team we have taken the decision to close RockSalt completely for the next couple of days as we reassess the situation.
‘As soon as tests return negative and it’s safe for our team and customers we will be back.
Everyone’s safety is our main priority and we believe it is the right and responsible thing to do. We would like to thank absolutely everyone who has supported us and allowed us to keep our hatch open over the last couple of lockdowns it has meant the world to us all.’
Rocksalt’s Dundalk cafe in Earl Street has also closed for the time being.