Cork pubs changing hands in multimillion-euro deals despite warnings over industry strain

Landmark Cork pubs continue attracting multimillion-euro investment even as rural publicans warn of mounting pressures and closures

In April, Cork's Brick Lane bar on South Main Street - just across the road from the premises of VFI president Michael O'Donovan's Castle Inn - closed its doors after 11 years trading.

There are two very different tales to be told about the pub trade in Ireland.

On Tuesday, the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) annual general meeting heard chief executive Pat Crotty call for targeted supports for rural pubs, which he warned faced an "existential threat" with an average 128 pubs closing annually.