The Vintners Federation of Ireland says publicans need their financial supports increased.
It’s marking a year since the country’s 7,100 pubs closed due to the pandemic.
The Licenced Vintners’ Association is also taking part in a social media campaign, where pub owners will take photos of those who worked before covid 19.
Gerry Rafter of Kilkenny City bar and B&B Rafter Dempsey’s and he’s been telling KCLR News that he’s “Feeling very disappointed that it’s lasted a whole year, who would have ever had thought that St Patrick’s Day last year that we’d be looking at a whole year of closure and the likelihood is we’ll be another few months before we get to reopen again at least and there’s no certainty to it, that’s the problem, we’re very, very disappointed and despondent due to the fact that there’s no road plan there, there are financial supports but to be honest they’re not enough, they would need to be increased there’s no doubt about that”.
He adds “It’s a huge disappointment not just for publicans but for the staff and their families, we’re talking about families that are being affected as well, so we would like to see some sort of a road plan, every other sector in the community seems to have a road plan, the rest of the primary school children are back to school today and that’s great but we need to have a road plan for our industry as well too because we’re dealing with human beings, we’re dealing with real people, real lives and real livelihoods”.
And Mr Rafter also says “Unfortunately I would, at a guess, I would say there will be closures, some people may not just have the appetite to open up again, some people may not have the financial ability to open again after the hardships but I would sincerely hope that would be kept to an absolute minimum so that the sooner we can open”.
