Government urged to extend outdoor dining waiver for pubs and restaurants

In Cork City, Covid restrictions forced businesses into a move towards outdoor dining which was seen as a success with the city council pedestrianising a number of city streets. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM 

The Government has been urged to extend the waiver on the fees restaurants and pubs must pay to have tables outside their premises.

Introduced last year to help facilitate outdoor dining during periods of Covid restrictions indoors, the measures removed the €125 fee per table businesses were charged to serve customers outside.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is said to be “considering extending the measure”, and the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said it would be a very positive move heading into the summer.

“We would certainly welcome it,” RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins said. “And we would be pushing for it. 

Last year, customers got a taste of it and they’ll want to do it again this year.

“In Dublin, we’re only back at 65% of 2019 turnover. We need to move to a European-style continental approach in hospitality.” 

In Cork City, Covid restrictions forced businesses into a move towards outdoor dining, which was seen as a success, with the city council pedestrianising a number of city streets and restaurants and pubs embracing the move outside.

Weatherproofing

Last September, Cork City Council revealed plans for weatherproofing a number of city streets to “bolster the city’s outdoor dining and hospitality” sector.

“As a further support to businesses Cork City Council has waived all fees in relation to street furniture licences for 2021, which are required for dining on public streets, paths etc,” the city council said.

With the better summer weather looming, Mr Cummins said a number of issues still needed to be ironed out regarding outdoor dining.

“One of the things for us is that certain local authorities are trying to take back the area they had given to hospitality,” he said. “Last year, premises were allowed to take over car park spaces outside. That’s something we need clarity on.” 

Mr Cummins said there needed to be a “coordinated effort” around helping businesses sustain outdoor dining this summer and into the future.

“We’re not back at 2019 revenues because people still haven’t returned to offices, and tourist numbers are not back where they were either,” he said. “We need a managed approach to all of this.” 

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Local Government said work was ongoing on whether the fee waiver should remain.

“The minister is considering extending the measure but we cannot say anything further as any regulations would have to go before the Oireachtas and the minister,” the spokesperson said.

In its statement, Cork City Council said: [We are] aware that the Government are reviewing the 2022 charges for street furniture licenses.

“We await the outcome of this process and will implement Government policy on same once available.”