€250m lost if restaurants are shut for December
RESTAURANTS have warned that €250million will be lost to the Exchequer if the sector remains closed for indoor dining in the run-up to Christmas.
The Restaurants Association of Ireland ( RAI) said December accounts for 30% of its members’ annual turnover, and that restaurants must be allowed to open when the country exits lockdown.
It said that based on analysis produced by the economist Jim Power, if restaurants do not open this December, the Exchequer – and by default the taxpayer – will lose €250million.
Meanwhile, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has said the prospect of different grades of restrictions across the country next month will lead to widespread confusion. It also called for indoor dining to be allowed, including for nonresidents, saying that it would minimise the number and extent of social gatherings in home settings, and so significantly reduce the risk of the further spread of the virus this Christmas.
The RAI agreed that restaurants and indoor dining were the key to a safe, regulated, controlled environment for public socialising in
December and at Christmas.
Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the RAI, said: ‘Restaurants are now imploring on Government to answer this one question: what are we to do?
‘December is a vital month for our industry and has in previous years accounted for over 30% of annual income, which is used as a cash flow to stabilise restaurants in January and February of any normal trading year.
‘With 11 days to the [earmarked] lifting of Level 5 restrictions, it is vital for the economic survival of our sector that the Government allow indoor dining.’
Mr Cummins said the evidence showed that restaurants are safe, controlled environments.
He said the Health Surveillance
Protection Centre reporting of outbreak sources since March showed there were just 39 cases (0.4%) linked to restaurants and cafés, out of 8,311.
RAI president Mark McGowan added: ‘At this time of year, restaurants would be purchasing; turkeys and hams, vegetables from l ocal producers and all t he trimmings to serve to customers and their families.
‘Restaurant owners do not know what to tell their staff, they do not know what to tell their suppliers.’
Hotel and guesthouse owners have expressed concern at reports that the Government is considering introducing a number of different grades of Covid-19 restrictions across December. IHF chief Tim Fenn said this could end up alienating the public, explaining: ‘The danger is that too many restrictions will cause confusion amongst the public... It is imperative that the Government strikes the right balance this Christmas.’