‘Itfeelslikewe’regoing though three winter seasons...it’s that bad’

BROTHERS Paddy and Johnny McGuire have run The Bricín Restaurant in High Street, Killarney for close to 30 years. Johnny is first to admit that Paddy is ‘ the nuts and bolts’ behind the restaurant, while he looks after front of house.

“We just want to get back to work at this stage, people also need a sense of normality back in their lives,” Johnny says.

In order for restaurants in a tourist enclave such as Kerry to survive, they depend on visitors. Few towns rely on tourists to sustain economic prosperity like Killarney does. Seasonal trade is essential, but the reality of the off-season has lingered longer than expected with an even bleaker forecast to come.

“We came out of last winter and had just reopened when we had to close again because of the lockdown,” Johnny said.

“This means we’re effectively in a second ‘winter’, while facing into another winter. That’s what you might call three ‘economic winters’ that restaurants will have to face this year.

“This is a time when restaurants lose money. We should be heading into our busiest time yet it’s going to be nowhere near that,” he explains.

Johnny feels that the Bricín’s size might be a plus.

Normally the restaurant can cater for 80 people, so if reduced to say 40 customers, for social distancing, it at least gives them an economic goal to aim at.

But costs are mounting, and just because the number of customers is reduced, doesn’t mean staff and overheads can be reduced in line with this.

“You still need the same level of staff to run a kitchen,” said Johnny.

“The complication is not knowing will our revenue be enough to pay our way – bills, rates, heating and the cost of buying food isn’t going to come down. Luckily, we will be able to offer people ample space when they do come out to dine again. We’re also looking at ways we can make things safer.

“We won’t be handing out menus when we return, but will have it on an app that customers can use to scan the menu; this eliminates hand-to-hand contact.”

Johnny feels strongly that in order to help the sector going forward, a realistic VAT rate – preferably zero – needs to apply.

“There’s a list of things that can be done, but the VAT rate is hugely important. Most costs are out of our control, but VAT reduction has worked before and it will work again.

“I think it will have to start at zero and slowly rise. This would allow us to offer customers more quality,” Johnny says.