Market Lane boss: Restaurants desperately waiting for the reduced Vat rate

Restaurants have absorbed huge new costs imposed by Government as well as price increases from the wider economy, writes Conrad Howard of the Market Lane Group in Cork

The Market Lane Group operates five restaurants in Cork, four of which have traded for over a decade. Picture: Clare Keogh

The cost of living is a pressing issue for providers and buyers of products and services alike; it is on everyone’s mind.

For our restaurants, as with most businesses, the challenge is to cover rising costs while still serving customers at price points that keep them coming back. It’s a fine balancing act. If one gets out of control — costs spiral or custom drops — the ripple effect can be catastrophic for everyone in the chain.