The lads along the border will have it made
Thereâll be plenty of âcamp sitesâ opening up in fields, backyards, etc.
I might hire a cruise ship since they are at nothing at the moment. Fill it up with paddies and sail just as far as international waters. Iâll clean the Micks out between the drinking and the gambling
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You just cannot fix stupid
VFI update - Friday 24th April
As we come to the end of week six since the shutdown, here is the latest updates from VFI head office:
The implications of not remaining closed
While the overwhelming majority of pubs have remained shut for almost six weeks, there is anecdotal reports that some pubs are serving alcohol on the premises. We would like to remind publicans that both Gardai and the Department of Health have indicated they will object to the renewal of a licence where the publican is found to be serving alcohol during the closedown, so any short-term gain could have significant long-term consequences.
How are you getting these updates bro?
Via email
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Corriganâs of Kinawley will be like Miltown-Malbay during the Willie Clancy week.
Theyâre decent folk, the lads kicked and kicked well for the Swampies in the great days.
Thereâs âflexible enoughâ arrangements about smoking for those interested.
VFI Home NEWS Contact Us
Message from our Chief Executive
Dear TFK,
Firstly, I hope that you and your dear ones are keeping safe and well in this terrible crisis. I know for many there is the combined fear of contracting the illness on the one hand and the fear of where the business might be on the other.
We have been attempting to keep members as fully informed as possible of daily developments while, at the same time, dealing with suppliers, banks, insurance, government, revenue and others. With the exception of the insurance debacle, good progress has been made on the other items but we see some as merely holding positions.
There has been much talk about re-opening. I can give no indication as to when that might happen and neither can anybody else. The powers that be simply do not know as they are assessing it all stage by stage.
It is clear from leaks from Government sources that they are looking at relaxing the restrictions on âeating housesâ before âdrinking housesâ. Our simple belief is that all should be treated similarly. That is what we will be seeking at all times.
What is definite is that the earlier re-opening happens the greater the need there will be for social distancing. What is equally obvious to us is that there are great variations among members in what they think social distancing will mean in a pub
In the final analysis that decision will be made by The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) led by Tony Holohan and it will not be a negotiated document, it will be handed down. That will be the same for all sectors not just ours. We have looked for access and a meeting but have been refused. There will be no point in a member calling us and asking why did we let this happen.
Our mission is to get pubs open as soon as is safe for members, employees and customers. We believe all outlets should have an equal opportunity of trading whether it be a wet pub, a food pub, a bar in a hotel or a licenced restaurant.
Opening doors is one thing. Opening doors and being able to trade profitably is another.
So what might trading with social distancing mean? As I said that will ultimately be laid down by NPHET but the minimum they will use are the World Health Organisation Guidelines (for clarity WHO guidelines refer to 1 meter social distancing while our HSE have always talked about 2 metres). There might be a number of stages leading up to the day when you can trade normally again but stage one most likely would include:
- No use of the bar other than as a dispense bar
- All customers might have to be seated and remain seated with table service for both food and drink
- Might be a maximum of 4 people per 10 sq metres assuming social distancing can take place in all the area. A long narrow part of a pub might not count as space if one could not social distance in that part
- Might be a maximum of 4 or 6 people at a table
- Minimum of 1 metre between people seated at different tables unless there was a type of Perspex divider between the tables
- Minimum of 1 metre between people seated at the same table
- System of controlling access to toilets
- Possibly no live music or DJ
- Possibly some form of register to cover tracing
- For those doing food consideration has to be given as to how social distancing will be managed in the kitchen.
This has obvious implications for capacity whether for drink, food or both. It has implications for cost â table service, ppe, covering toilets etc. If it has those implications then clearly it has implications for viability. Some work is being done on the effect on capacity and we hope to be able to share that next week.
It also could have insurance implications. What happens if a member of staff or indeed a customer contracts Covid-19 and there is a trace back to the premises? Some new policies are now specifically excluding cover for C19 so there will be no debate at that stage â no cover.
Whatever decisions NPHET come to, significant supports will be needed for the trade over a protracted period. We are finalising this set of âasksâ at present and are already strongly lobbying for special status. So are many other sectors. Each member will have to assess what the framework that NPHET hands down will mean for them.
I should make it clear that the above are merely my thoughts on what might come at us. I repeat that there has been no discussions with NPHET and wonât be unless they change their stance.
I thought it important to put those thoughts to you so that you can begin to consider the next set of challenges that may have to be faced.
Kind regards,
Padraig Cribben
Itâs a worst nightmare for pubs. What do you think they might do to offset lack of turnover and increased costs when they reopen after the virus? Seems inevitable the price of a pint will have to be increased a good bit, or maybe a cover charge of a tenner per person just to come in and take a stool?
I think it might not be a bad idea to pedestrianise whole streets between certain hours for trade. Allow deliveries etc to come at a designated time. Allow restaurants and pubs to serve outside. Looking outside today the weather might not be conducive to that a lot of the time but marques could be set up. Restaurants and pubs depend on footfall and so only 30% of their premises could be used. Why not allow them to use the street to sell as well.
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Fair point but most pubs, particularly in cities and towns, wonât have the space to set up marquees outside. A lot of pubs open out straight onto a road for example. The rural pubs might have the space for that alright but itâs another cost and weather wise people might grow weary of it fast.
Price of a pint is costly enough as it is if pubs put the price up people will continue to drink at home.should sparks plumbers carpenters etc all put their prices up too?
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Open the pubs.
Close the roads.
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All nice ideas in theory but when fellas get their 5th pint into them, all social distancing will be abandoned.
Earlier closing times might be a start but the pub scene is the total opposite of social distancing, simple as.
Anyone listen to the BB podcast a few weeks ago talking about reign sandwiches and free lunch in New York in the late 1800s? I can see that happening here
A cover charge ! Itâs trying to get people back inside will be the problem not trying to destroy their business even more .
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The big danger for pubs here is once this starts relaxing people are going to have parties at home and fellas will not need the pub at all when it opens.
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How bad
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House drinking has been huge with the younger generation for at least a decade . They get nicely tippled before venturing out.
As a publican said to me - they get drunk to go out while the older crowd went out to get drunk
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