Publicans hit out at 'reactive' policymaking during Covid-19 pandemic

Vintners groups label government plans to ease public health restrictions on businesses for two weeks next month 'unworkable'

Publican Ernest Cantillon: 'Operationally two weeks would be very challenging, for staff, businesses and suppliers. You really need a four-week period to make a go of it.' Picture: Dan Linehan

Publicans have hit out at the "reactive" nature of policymaking around alcohol sales during the pandemic. 

Vintners groups have labelled government plans to ease public health restrictions on businesses for two weeks next month "unworkable”, while plans to ban sales of takeaway pints are causing frustration.

“Two weeks would be pretty useless,” Brian Foley of the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland said. 

“It’s expensive to ramp up a business like that, run it for two weeks, and then wind it down again. 

A two-week period for most pubs would be an absolute waste of time.

There has been no industry consultation on the proposed two week easing of restrictions and whoever suggested it must have no experience running a business, he said.

“If customers knew they only had two weeks to visit the pubs would it create a surge in demand that would be difficult to control? It’s just not viable," he said.

“We want to open when this lockdown level 5 ends with indoor trading in a safe, socially distanced manner."

A spokesperson for the Licensed Vintners Association also said that the suggestion of reopening for two weeks was "completely unreasonable". 

Cork publican Ernest Cantillon, who owns Electric and Sober Lane in the city, also said that opening for two weeks was unworkable.

“I can’t see us opening for two weeks," he said. 

Operationally it would be very challenging, for staff, businesses and suppliers. You really need a four-week period to make a go of it.

"As a restaurant, to gear up for two weeks, you potentially have a lot of food waste.

"You have to let staff know so they can decide whether to come off the PUP payment. Our fish suppliers will have to plan orders from fishermen.

"People don’t see the whole supply chain that goes on in the background.

"The reactive nature of this is frustrating. Just assuming that we can all say, ‘ok let’s head into work tomorrow’. A lot more goes into running a business."

Takeaway drinks

A sign outside O'Sho in Cork City: The 'reactive' nature of Taoiseach Micheál Martin's comments about potentially stopping pubs from serving takeaway drinks was also described as  'frustrating'. Picture:  Dan Linehan

The "reactive" nature of Taoiseach Micheál Martin's comments about potentially stopping pubs from serving takeaway drinks after crowds gathered in Cork and Dublin this weekend is also frustrating, he said. 

Mr Cantillon has decided not to sell takeaway alcohol this weekend in Electric to prove that the crowds of people pictured in the public park and boardwalk outside it on Saturday night were not all his customers.

"It's annoying that the Government will respond to noise on social media as opposed to people who run businesses and our representative bodies who have been asking for more consultation since March," Mr Cantillon said.

"There are always people in the park, it’s one of the few city centre parks that's not locked up at night. All nationalities and all ages gather there. People always drink there, whether it’s people sitting outside Electric or bringing their own drinks from home or the supermarket, that hasn’t changed.

"But because it was dry and it was mild, there was a larger group than usual there on Saturday.

"Then someone put up a photograph online and it went viral."

Mr Cantillon said that their takeaway strategy was carefully thought through. They close at 9pm, they only serve hot drinks like mulled wine to takeaway and they do not serve beer. 

The branded glasses allow them to monitor customers to make sure that they are at least 100m from the premises as per public health guidelines. 

Pre-lockdown, Mr Cantillon employed 63 people, that number reduced to zero over lockdown but rose to 14 to work on the takeaway business which also serves food.

Speaking again about the possible two-week reprieve for businesses, he said: “Usually from the middle of November we’re booked out right through to the second of January for Christmas parties. How is all that demand going to fit into two weeks? If the pubs are open but there’s not enough capacity in that period you’ll have even more people drinking outside, so I really think it needs to be at least four weeks."