Kildare businesses welcome back customers after weeks of Covid-19 lockdown

Barry McKnight proprietor of the J-One Cafe in Athy. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Traders in Kildare have been welcoming back customers and staff after the Government gave the green light for them to reopen.

Business owners, however, say they are counting the cost of the restrictions imposed on the county since last month.

As many businesses reopened in Kildare following the first county-wide lockdown, they were dealt a huge blow when they were forced to close their doors again following an outbreak of Covid-19 cases associated with meat plants.

Health officials recommended to government on Monday that restrictions in the county could be lifted leaving many scrambling to ensure they were ready to reopen their doors on Tuesday.

Publican Mark Redmond, owner of The Emigrant Bar and Eatery in Athy, said he was very excited about being able to reopen this week.

“I’m looking forward to some sort of normality,” he said.

“I know that it’s only a small thing but it’s a big thing for us. It’s been very difficult.”

The family-run pub only began serving food for the first time last November after a large investment, having formerly only offered drinks.

Mr Redmond said they were only getting the hang of it when they were forced to shut in March, along with other pubs across the country.

“I was very nervous and upset.

It’s very much a family orientated business – my three daughters work in the pub.

“It was a massive blow,” he said.

“For the first two weeks of lockdown I couldn’t talk, I was speechless.

“I didn’t know what to do.”

He said the second lockdown in Co Kildare came as “another blow”, putting them under added financial pressure but he said that their ability to serve food has proved to be a lifeline.

“Food is the future of the pub business,” Mr Redmond said.

“If you’re serious about the pub like I hope I am, the food is the way to go for the future.”

He added that he hoped all types of pubs would be able to open in the coming weeks.

"Incredibly stressful"

John Bradbury, owner of Bradburys cafe and bakery in Athy and Newbridge, said the second lockdown has been stressful.

Bradburys is a third generation business that has been running since 1938.

It employs around 50 staff.

Since August 7, the cafe has been open to takeaways and outdoor seating only.

“We first reopened with the retail stores in June.

“We had modified the building and put glass separators in place,” Mr Bradbury explained.

“We were back up to about 65% of our business, but then when the lockdown happened it just floored us again.

“While we have outdoor space, it’s only good to use when the weather is nice.

“Fortunately we didn’t lay anyone off and now we have most our staff back.

“We are just waiting for two more of our part-timers to return.

“We also do a lot of schools meals and they returned as scheduled.

“Our customers, staff and suppliers have been great and given us a lot of support.

“But for a small business in a rural area, not having indoor seating has been catastrophic.

“Our turnover halved since we reopened even through we have put an enormous amount of work into it and the staff have been marvellous.

“We were making great headway then the lockdown knocked us back.

“It has been incredibly stressful.”