Cork and Kerry publicans delighted to be reopening

Michael Farrell, owner, Farrell's Summerfield Bar, Youghal, Co Cork. “I offer limited food options, and it’s mainly pizzas, so I am okay." Picture: Denis Minihane

A Cork publican has spoken of the challenges facing rural pubs, some of which will reopen their doors tomorrow for the first time in 15 months. 

As part of the easing of Covid restrictions, pubs across the country can reopen offering an outdoor service. Indoor drinking and dining is not scheduled to resume until July 5.

Michael Farrell, who owns Farrells Bar and Beer Garden in Summerfield, Youghal, has had to replace a lot of the 17 part-time staff he needs to operate.

While he says it wasn’t easy, he said he managed. A lot of his staff were students, and they have left the trade and started full-time jobs.

One or two of his staff are apprehensive about going back to work in the pub because they haven’t been vaccinated, but he says everybody is otherwise fine about being back at work.

However, Mr Farrell believes pubs that rely on food, especially high-end gastro pubs, are going to struggle the most.

“I offer limited food options, and it’s mainly pizzas, so I am okay,” he said.

“But the people I feel sorry for are the high-end gastro pubs. This is because a lot of chefs have simply left the business.

“They couldn’t sustain their mortgages and other commitments on the PUP pandemic payments. As a result, many have retrained and gone into other professions.

“And a lot of those who haven’t left the trade are now moving or have moved into the hotel sector. They simply couldn’t afford to wait around for indoor restaurants and pubs to open.

So the problem is going to be worse when indoor pubs and restaurants open, as they will really struggle to find staff.

He said pubs have been hit by a double whammy. One the one hand, students who could only have earned €50 to €100 per week before the pandemic, can earn at least double that by not working while on the pandemic payment.

However, on the other hand, experienced bar staff who could earn around €700-a-week before the pandemic found they couldn’t sustain themselves on the pandemic payments, so they left the industry.

He also said he is unhappy that employers such as him are expected to report former employees who won’t come back to work to Revenue.

“That is not the employers' job,” he said.

“Hairdressers and beauticians are in the same boat. Many of their part-time workers earn more sitting at home than going back to work.

“But it shouldn’t be down to us to report former staff to Revenue. That’s just not the Irish way.”

'Great for us to be back'

All said, he is delighted to be back open again after so long.

“It’s great for us to be back in business again”, Mr Farrell, who will be able to accommodate 200 safely in his beer garden and then a further 120 indoors in July, said.

Also delighted is Daniel McCarthy, who bought McCarthy’s Bar on Upper Main Street, Dingle, Co Kerry, three years ago.

Except for two weeks last September, he has been closed since last March.

“The only way I have been able to survive is my bank AIB,” he said.

“They have been very understanding.” He has had to replace two of his three staff, but he didn’t have any problems finding new staff.

“One just moved away and the other finished their studies,” he said.