'Prominent, well-known' suppliers to take over closed coffee units at Irish train stations

A train at the platform at Kent Station, Cork. On-board trolley services were withdrawn as a result of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Picture: Larry Cummins

Irish Rail has claimed "well-known" suppliers are to take over the closed AMT Coffee units in Irish train stations as on-board catering services resumed. 

AMT Coffee kiosks have been closed at Kent station in Cork, and Dublin's Heuston and Connolly stations since November after the company running them was sold out of administration to SSP Group, a British foodservice company.

SSP Group decided to only keep 25 coffee sites up and running across the UK and Ireland, meaning 18 sites were closed with immediate effect — including those at a number of Irish train stations.

One hundred employees across those sites and head office were made redundant at that time.

Irish Rail corporate communications manager Barry Kenny said on Wednesday that new suppliers have been secured to operate these units and said they will be in place over the coming weeks.

Mr Kenny told the Irish Examiner there will be "a different but prominent, well-known brand at each station" but he could not confirm further details.

He also confirmed Irish Rail was "making efforts to put previous employees from the AMT units in contact with any new operators".

"The closure of AMT Coffee at our train stations, paired with Irish Rail's banning of onboard catering services during the pandemic, meant that, for months, commuters could only buy tea, coffee or sandwiches if there was a shop in the station." 

I love travelling by train. But the ongoing absence of catering on @IrishRail services, while the only café at the station in our second largest city remains closed, really isn't good enough. (Please spare me the stock tweet saying you are working on it - no progress is evident.) pic.twitter.com/pMQAo6VAOU

— Conor O'Mahony (@ConorUCCLaw) February 14, 2023

Irish Rail has now confirmed the restoration of its onboard catering service from the end of March.

Fianna Fáil transport spokesperson James O'Connor revealed the plans, following a meeting with Irish Rail chief executive Jim Meade in Leinster House on Tuesday.

He said: “I’m delighted that Irish Rail has confirmed restoration of on-board train catering will be taking place in the coming months.

On-board services were deeply missed by those who are regular commuters on Irish Rail services so this is very welcome news."

According to the Cork East TD: "The reinstatement of the service will be done on a phased basis commencing with the Dublin-Cork line servicing Portlaoise, Portarlington, Thurles, Limerick Junction and Mallow."

The sale of refreshments was banned on Irish trains three years ago, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but when restrictions on public transport lifted last February, the on-board catering did not resume as RailGourmet, the company which supplied the service, withdrew.

Since then, Irish Rail has struggled to find a replacement.