Future of the rural pub in jeopardy
The future of the rural pub has been put in jeopardy by the government’s decision to postpone the reopening of so called “wet bars”, according to local publicans.
Due to concerns about the recent spike in Covid-19 cases and the impact that a second wave of the virus would have on the reopening of schools at the end of the month, last Tuesday the government announced that bars that do not serve food will remain closed until August 31 at the earliest.
One of the 3,500 pubs affected by the decision was The Drake Inn in Castletown Geoghegan. Proprietor Andrew Drake said that while public health and the reopening of schools have to be prioritised, greater supports need to be given to pubs such as his own, which have been out of business for almost six months.
“I think we are being led down a merry path. I just want them to be straight with us. We still have bills going out. I paid my insurance two weeks ago. I got the bill for the TV licence yesterday. I still have electricity to pay. You have heating as well. It’s an old property and it needs to be kept warm.
“All of these still need to be paid and we will need serious help,” he said.
Castletown Geoghegan is home to three pubs, all of which have been closed since mid-March. Mr Drake says that in rural communities, pubs provide a valuable social outlet for many older people, an outlet that they have been cut off from for the last five months.
“The older generation need to get out. Anyone living on their own, it must be very hard for them from a mental health perspective. A lot of these lads, they’d just have a couple of pints and would just be there for a chat. You’d meet them in the village and they’d be asking you when you are going to open.
“The pubs are being blamed for something that they had no hand, act or part in. There was always going to be a spike when people were allowed back out, but the pubs are being punished even though they weren’t opened,” he said.
The chairman of the Westmeath branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, Mullingar publican Liam Gilleran, says that pubs that don’t serve food are the victims of an “anti-hospitality” agenda.
“My heart goes out to them. I am a fellow member and do represent them even though do we do food here ourselves.
“It is very tough for a lot of pubs that don’t have access to a takeaway or a pizzeria to supply food to them so that they can open up.
“They are closed five months now and Micheál Martin has made it clear that he will only have a look at August 31, which seems aspirational, as you have other issues such as schools opening.”
Mr Gilleran’s bar re-opened last month and staff quickly got used to the new social distancing and hygiene protocols. He believes that pubs that don’t serve food would also be able to implement the social distancing measures successfully, particularly pubs in rural towns and villages.
“The rules and regulations were cumbersome because they were new to us – but it’s like riding a bike – you fall off a few times and then you get used to it.
“It’s not that difficult. In all fairness to the public they know the rules as well as we do. They have been dead sound and we haven’t had any difficulties.
“When you are making comparisons between pubs in Galway city or Temple Bar or those in Ballynacargy or Collinstown, it’s not a level playing field and it is very unfair.”
Mr Gilleran and fellow VFI members are due to meet local TDs this week. Unless more supports are provided to the sector, he fears that many rural pubs will not be in a position to reopen.
“This industry is on its knees. It is on the verge of collapse for most of our members. There is a very simple solution: just open it up and leave it to the publicans, their staff and the public. They are very responsible people and wouldn’t have any difficulty implementing the measures.”