Hospitality reopening: No standing at the bar, no live music and an 11.30pm curfew 

Fáilte Ireland has published guidelines for the reopening of hospitality, including requirements for contact tracing and a requirement for table service only. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Indoor hospitality must not feature live or loud music and customers will face an 11.30pm curfew, new guidance says.

The Fáilte Ireland guidelines says that from June 7, outdoor service is permitted for a maximum of 6 people aged 13 or over per table. This does not include children, with the maximum at any table being 15.

While the same number will apply to indoor dining, there will be several differences, namely:

• Multiple tables cannot be booked indoors
• No parties/ social gatherings are permitted indoors
• Table service only.
• Physical distancing of 2 metres should be maintained between tables unless there have been mitigation procedures taken
• Physical distancing of 1 metre is required between the outer edges of the party (back of chair to back of chair)
• Contact tracing, ventilation and enhanced hygiene measures must be adhered to
• Measures to control noise levels. e.g. no live/loud music permitted.
• Face coverings/masks must be worn by customers at all times other than when sitting at their table.
• Employees wear face coverings/masks at all times
• Patrons must have vacated the licensed premises by 11.30pm.

Outdoors, tables can be one metre apart with no time limit, but indoors the time limit will apply if tables are closer than two metres together.

"Pre-booked time-limited slots must be in place for customers, which are a maximum of 105 minutes duration plus 15 minutes to allow for adequate cleaning."

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It is also recommended to have segmented food and beverage areas to allow for smokers and non-smokers, the document says.

Special attention should be paid to ventilating indoor areas, the document says.

"The spread of the virus is most likely when infected people are in close contact so the risk of getting Covid-19 is higher in crowded and poorly ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity," the document states.

"It is important to maximise ventilation in areas where people are in close contact. While large droplets containing the virus will settle onto the surrounding surfaces within seconds, smaller particles containing the virus can stay suspended for longer periods of time. 

"Dilution of indoor air by opening windows and doors or using mechanical ventilation (HVAC) systems can lower the airborne concentration and remove these smaller particles from the air."

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) welcomed the guidelines, with Elaine Fitzgerald Kane, the IHF President saying it will provide reassurance for guests hoping to book for the coming months.

Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, said the guidelines offer some sense of clarity, and welcomed the removal of the €9 meal requirement. 

Under the new regulations, gardaí will retain powers to enter pubs and ensure compliance, the Justice Minister Heather Humphreys, has said.

Speaking at a media event in Government Buildings, she said that while a majority of people do adhere to the guidelines, where necessary the gardaí have the powers to enforce it.

She said the new guidance is about finding balance but expects further relaxations in terms of live music and nightclubs in the coming months.

“We're reviewing all of these rules in line with the rollout of the vaccine and the progress we are making,” she said.

“We have to be careful too because this Covid takes many twists and turns. In terms of the regulations, as things improve we certainly review them all the time and hopefully we'll be in a position to relax them further,” Ms Humphreys added.