Vintners: 800 pubs could shut
The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland says declining business and rising costs are threatening the pub trade like never before and many of those who welcome revellers for midnight celebrations tonight will not be around to see the next year through.
“An astonishing 20% of our members are at crisis point. Some 800 pubs are in serious financial trouble as they face 2013. That is 4,800 jobs at risk, potentially 4,800 new signatures on the Live Register,” it claimed.
Their anger is directly mainly at the Government for pouring misery on hardship by placing an extra 10c excise duty on beer and spirits and €1 on a bottle of wine in the budget earlier this month, but they also take issue with some major drinks companies for hiking wholesale prices and local authorities for imposing high commercial rates.
VFI president Gerry Rafter urged the Government to rethink the excise increase before signing the Finance Bill into law.
“This was one of the worst years on record for our members and as we face into another 12 months under a Government that doesn’t appreciate the role we play, and with some suppliers that don’t appreciate the business that we give, the future is bleak and the majority of our membership is very downbeat to put it mildly.
“Our members support over 54,000 jobs in Ireland. These are local families depending on local employment in local areas. At a time when we should be celebrating, there is a dark cloud over these 54,000 jobs.”
More than 1,300 pubs have closed in the past five years and Mr Rafter said trade was down 34% over the same period, yet local authorities were charging the same commercial rates as during the boom.
