'I will have to hand back the keys'

THE Government decision to postpone the re-opening of pubs that do not serve food has dealt a severe hammer blow to the sector, and means some pubs may be forced to close for good, local publicans have warned this week.

Nenagh publican Michael Ryan said he was shocked that the Government abandoned its plan to re-open so-called 'wet pubs' on Monday last, as it postponed what was to be the next phase of the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown due to concerns over rising coronavirus infections.
While the new date for the next phase of the easing of restrictions has been put back to August 10th, the statement by the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar that pubs may remain closed beyond that date has left cash-strapped publicans speculating about whether they will have to close for good.
“It's shocking,” said Mr Ryan, who indicated that he would have a difficult decision to make if wet pubs like his were forced to remain closed after August 10th.
“I will have to hand back the keys,” he said, revealing that the business he runs at his rented 44 Bar in Pearse Street, Nenagh, may no longer be viable.

DEFYING THE BAN
He indicated that he is contemplating even defying the ban regardless of what the Government rules. “If we are not allowed open on August 10th, I will make my decision then.”
Mr Ryan said the postponment of the re-opening of wet pubs had come as a bolt out of the blue. “I had all my stock in on Tuesday of last week, and I have to pay for that this week,” he said.
The prospects now of pubs being allowed re-open on the new date for the easing of restrictions was, he felt, “very slim”.
By August 10th pubs like his would be closed for five months months, leaving many owners contemplating a grim future.
“Even if we do open our business is going to be down by 50 per cent.

Because of the coronavirus people are still very cosnscious about going out and many people will remain at home and buy their drink from off-licences and everywhere else."

Mr Ryan said the Government were making scapegoats out of publicans. People were allowed to travel in and out of the country and they could go where they liked, he felt. Yet publicans who were prepared to implement social distancing in their premises could not open.

Roy Breen, who runs the family owned Ciss Ryan's pub with his wife Denise in the scenic lakeside village of Lough Derg, said not being able to open his premises on Monday last was a hammer blow.　

He said that it was unfair that wet pubs like his could not be treated like pubs serving food, which have been re-opened since the end of June. "What's the difference between serving a meal and not serving a meal? The playing pitch is not level. Publicans are responsible and we will ensure full compliance regarding social distancing and sanitisation," he said.　

While noting that the R rate had increased again to between 1.2 and 1.8, meaning for every five infected people, the disease wil spread to between six and nine others, Mr Breen pointed out that Covid-19 infections in Tipperary had been close to zero for the past month.　

"The Government's handling of the situation has been all over the place," said Mr Breen, who added that it was frustrating that publicans like him were being forced to remain closed by a Government that was "lackadaisical" in its stance on people travelling through ports and airports.　

"With the approach of the long winter months the pub sector is in serious peril," said Mr Breen, who said an aid package was now vital for the sector that has had no income for five months.　

"Publicans require support structures to be put in place rearding VAT and Income Tax reductions. The sector needs grant aid and the Government needs to look at our rate charges."　

Mr Breen added that it was not just publicans who were suffering. "The local pub is the cornerstone of any local community, so this raises mental health challenges for retailers and customers alike - not knowing were we stand or what's going to happen. It's the uncertainty going forward that is the worry and people miss the craic and fun in the pub that is central to their lives."　

Mr Breen said the Government should consider allowing pubs to open until 10pm to allow people to enjoy a few drinks, a move he felt would virtually eliminate excessive drinking and the challenges that could pose for stemming the spread of the disease.