Braving recession

IS IT brave or foolhardy to open an eatery in this meat-grinder of a recession?

One restaurant is closing in Ireland every day, the Restaurants Association claims. Of those that stay open, it says, up to 80% are running at a loss.

It’s a hostile climate, then. But there’s a flipside. If you have vision, flair, a finger on the pulse and serve decent food at decent prices, a downturn can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to open a restaurant, but to open one that stays open.