Nurse vows to use frontline experience to reopen wedding venue

Bee O’Grady, who specialised in palliative care, has spent 25 years in hospitality management after co-founding Mountain View in Co Kilkenny.

A former nurse who returned to the front line to help with the Covid-19 outbreak has said she will use her medical experience to reopen a wedding venue in Co Kilkenny.

Bee O’Grady, who specialised in palliative care, has spent 25 years in hospitality management after co-founding Mountain View, a wedding and function venue in south Kilkenny.

After the venue was closed on March 13, she returned to the front line as an agency nurse dealing with end-of-life care.

For years I nursed patients who had a fear of dying, now the fear is in living – the fear to go out to enjoy life's basics

“It’s just horrendously sad and very emotional to see our predominantly elderly exposed to this virus and its potentially devastating outcome,” she said.

“For years I nursed patients who had a fear of dying, now the fear is in living – the fear to go out to enjoy life’s basics. It is extremely sad.”

Ms O’Grady said she plans to use her nursing experience to help make it safe to reopen the venue.

“I think before anyone goes outside the door now they will subconsciously do a risk assessment of where they are going and who they are going to be with,” she said.

“We won’t go below the two-metre rule for the foreseeable (future), even if guidelines change.”

Our opening will be slow, considered and incremental so that we can continue to deliver the highest of standards, care and attention

Ms O’Grady and her brother, Michael O’Neill, head the family-owned business.

Mr O’Neill said people returning to venues and restaurants will want to feel safe.

“Our opening will be slow, considered and incremental so that we can continue to deliver the highest of standards, care and attention,” he said.

Ms O’Grady said her staff will wear gloves and, where appropriate, masks.

Giving a glimpse into how the hospitality sector will look when it reopens, she said sanitising stations will be placed in public areas and bathrooms.

She also said that spaces will be sanitised once an hour and after each use, including tables, chairs, seating, menus and payment machines.

“The impact on the business, like all businesses, was huge as our wedding and events calendar was particularly full for the remainder of the year,” she added.

These have been challenging times

“The devastation for our wedding couples and the aftermath of rescheduling dates was emotional and intense but thankfully everyone was accommodated, which will see 2021 as a very busy year, hopefully, if the numbers allowed to attend are clarified soon.”

She said that many couples wanted to continue with their wedding plans, but with a smaller guest list.

Mr O’Neill said: “These have been challenging times. Our top priority is the wellbeing, safety and comfort of our team and our guests and to make them feel confident about celebrating and dining out in the future.”