'We are hurting badly' - Pubs call for supports to stay open after September 21

TJ McInerney a publican from Mullinahone, Co Tipperary, said publicans have suffered massive financial losses and they must be supported. File image

Publicans have called on the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to roll out supports to ensure bars remain viable when they re-open.

The Cabinet has agreed that pubs which do not serve food can now re-open on September 21 as part of the Government's medium-term Covid plan.

However, some publicans who are gathering outside Leinster House this afternoon remain concerned that they will not be able to open their doors later this month.

TJ McInerney a publican from Mullinahone, Co Tipperary, said this is the fourth re-opening date businesses have been given and he will not be ordering in stock until he is certain he will be allowed trade.

"We are hurting badly, we need fair play," said Mr McInerney.

The publican said he will be offering Mr Martin a suite of solutions when he meets him this evening.

"I'd be quite happy with the 21st if the 21st is guaranteed. I'm quite happy to embrace the guidelines, but I don't just want the draft guidelines, I want to see the guidelines.

"I won't be happy until the doors of my pub are open and I'm standing behind them looking out at local social distancing."

With premises now shut for the past six months, Mr McInerney said publicans have suffered massive financial losses and they must be supported.

"I lost my trade to gastropubs, I have to try and get that back. I mean financially, things aren't good, the supports thus far have been insignificant as regards to what I need to be viable.

I'm only a custodian of that pub, that pub belongs to the people of Mullinahone, that pub has to be viable after my tenure.

"We want to be part of a viable economy, we want to contribute, we want to make tax returns, we want to help get the country back going," he said.

TJ McInerney, a publican from Mullinahone, Co Tipperary, makes a passionate plea outside Leinster House calling for clear promises around the reopening of pubs #iestaf pic.twitter.com/qsu0XvAHgC

— Elaine Loughlin (@Elaine_Loughlin) September 8, 2020

Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, welcomed the new reopening date but said the group had always been of the opinion that all pubs should have opened at the same time.

He added that the guidelines are "very onerous" and a "decent suite of supports" are now required to make sure pubs can survive.· 

Asked about the possibility that pubs in some counties may not reopen on September 21 because of local restrictions, Mr Cribben said: "Any restriction will have a massive impact. 

Tipperary publicans outside Government buildings making their voice heard #Openthepubs pic.twitter.com/0Uepl2Aiau

— VFI (@VFIpubs) September 8, 2020

"We saw the impact that the restrictions in Kildare, Laois and Offaly had. We've got to wait to see how they will impact if they do impact and hopefully we will get this under control, and there won't be a need for them.

"But we're looking more towards the lack of restrictions now rather than restrictions. There are major, major challenges in the guidelines that are there. Those challenges have to be surmounted first before we start thinking of any other possible restrictions."