'Last time we had to do this, we didn’t open until June': New restrictions see some pubs close entirely

Jono Crute of Crew Brewing, Thomas Street , Limerick, who has been hit with the new restrictions. Picture: Brian Arthur

As pubs prepare to enter a new year under a new set of restrictions many are wondering whether it is worth their time to open at all.

All restaurants and bars had to close their doors at 8pm from yesterday, as the Government attempts to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The early closing time will see publicans lose many of their busiest hours, leaving some with little options but to close until restrictions ease.

Jono Crute is one of the owners of Crew Brewing Company on Thomas Street, Limerick.

Opened during the pandemic, the pub/ brewery is now selling off the last of its stock as staff prepare to close.

“With an 8pm restriction, there's not a viable way to run it and keep brewing and keep everyone in hours and pay,” Mr Crute said.

“So we're stopping brewing, not ordering in any new stock, and we are reopening with outdoor service only, for everyone's safety, and take-outs, until we run out of the beer we have left,” he said.

The big question for Crew, and other pubs, is how long will this lockdown last.

“The last time we had to do this, we closed and didn’t open until June 7. So it depends a lot on what happens next, rather than just losing the Christmas trade,” said Mr Crute.

John Styles is the manager of Rearden’s on Washington Street Cork. It too will close in the coming weeks.

Daniel Smith of Grogans Bar serves drinks, ahead of a new 8pm closing time for pubs and restaurants. Picture: PA

“The venue doesn't really start getting any life till after 6pm or 7pm,” Mr Styles said.

“We’re a big venue with four floors, so we need a lot of staff. But we don’t have enough hours for people. So it is more feasible for them to go back on the PUP payment because we don’t have the hours,” he said.

Mr Styles, who has been working in the industry for over 30 years, says the last few have been the toughest.

“There is a lot of doom and gloom here at the moment. We are just after telling staff. It is not a great time, facing the start of a new year with no work,” he said.

Michael O’Donovan, the Cork City chairperson of the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), said his pub, the Castle Inn, would stay open. However, he was aware of a number of pubs around Cork that would be closing after Christmas or the New Year.

“It is going be very difficult once we get to the first week of January, and people get back to work. Pubs will struggle to make ends meet,” Mr O’Donovan said.

VFI chief executive Padraig Cribben said it is no surprise that some publicans are choosing to close completely rather than trade with restricted hours.

“Many pubs only open in the late afternoon anyway so to trade for just three or four hours, which is the quietest part of the day, makes no sense for them,” Mr Cribben said.

“What we need now is a comprehensive supports package that will help our members through another lockdown for the trade. We were told the slow reopening of the business over last summer was to ensure we never returned to a lockdown scenario yet that is where we find ourselves," he said.