The Licensed Vinters Association have slammed the decision to keep wet pubs shut. Recent evidence shows no fresh Covid-19 outbreaks have occurred in pubs or restaurants since they reopened.
The easing of restrictions allowed restaurants and bars that serve food to reopen on 4 Decemeber. However, wet pubs and bars have remained closed, as Ireland exited Level 5.
New Figures:
Recently released figures show, that there have been 762 Covid-19 outbreaks in the fortnight up to and including December 12. But none were linked to pubs or restaurants.
The Licensed Vinters Association said that these figures prove that the safety measures put in place by publicans are working. They also said that wet pubs should be given a chance to trade again, having been closed for 275 days.
“We made the case before the reopening plans were announced, and throughout the year in fact, that there is no rationale whereby the serving of food makes premises safer”.
“There is no evidence to suggest that a wet pub is any more difficult than any other setting where alcohol is being served”.
“It’s complete discrimination from the Government and it’s a political position they have taken which is effectively crushing half of the industry in this country”.
The figures showed that most of these outbreaks happened in private family homes. But under the restrictions introduced by the Government, only pubs serving food, cooked and prepared on their premises are allowed to be open.
This means several pubs that could open following the first Lockdown, have had to stay shut this time around.
Recently, Gardaí had to inform a number of pubs in Dublin that they must serve food after some had encouraged customers to donate the price of a €9 meal to charity, rather than eating it .
A bar in Dublin said it would offer customers, “the faciltiy to purchase a meal that will effectively be suspended”, with the proceeds going to local homeless charities. More here.
