Publican tries to keep the wolf at bay with tasty €10 pint and stew deal
The Glen Tavern in Glentworth Street offers a large bowl of its famed Irish stew along with a pint of the customer’s choice for €10.
Publican Gerard Callanan said: “We have done Irish stew every day of the week for years and we are known throughout the city for our stew. But now along with a stew the customer can have a pint of lager (€4.35), pint of Guinness (€4), or any other draught you like... We expect that when the days get colder the stew and pint offer will be an even bigger attraction. A lot of visitors come in for the stew and are amazed that they can have a pint, all for €10. We were very surprised at how well it has gone and I would say we will be holding on to the offer for a long time to come. I must say I have been amazed at how well the stew and pint is going.”
As many as 58 pubs in Limerick city and county have so far this year not renewed their licences. Publicans say the new drink-driving laws have hit rural pubs in a major way. Former national president of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, David Hickey, whose family runs the famous South’s, which was Frank McCourt’s local, said pubs in the city were finding it hard to compete with supermarkets selling alcohol below cost.
Mr Hickey, Limerick representative on the VFI national executive, said: “The price of the pint hasn’t risen in the past three years and there is no sign of a price increase coming... The problem we have is below cost selling. We can’t compete with the supermarkets. You can buy drink now cheaper than you can buy water. Why don’t we see the supermarkets cutting the price of milk or cutting the price of food stuffs?”
