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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Cate McCurry

Dublin pub's dial-a-pint service 'hounded with calls' during coronavirus lockdown

A Dublin publican is helping his customers get through the coronavirus lockdown by delivering freshly poured pints and cocktails to their door.

Richard Grainger, who owns family-run Graingers Hanlons Corner, is delivering customers' favourite tipples to their homes.

Mr Grainger, who was forced to shut the doors to his pub a few days before St Patrick's Day, said he has been inundated with orders for the dial-a-pint service.

The idea for the doorstep service emerged as staff said goodbye to their customers in March.

He said: "They all said they were going to miss their pints and some asked me if I could bring a pint over to them.

Billy Scully with a pint of Guinness delivered by Graingers Pub in Dublin during the coronavirus lockdown (Niall Carson/PA Wire)

"I started bringing a few pints to them and then it snowballed from there.

"The customers ring the off licence and give their address and phone number and how many pints they want. The pints go into a container and we put tops on them so they are sealed, then we put them into the back of the jeep and bring it to their house.

"We don't go very far, we only go around the 2km radius.

"We've been hounded with calls but we want to keep it limited. We like to keep it small."

The service runs from 10am until 10pm all week.

Mr Grainger has received orders from people living in America, Australia, Dubai and Turkey who have family living near the pub and want to send a beverage to their home.

He said: "Times are hard so when people get the drink they really appreciate it.

"We also do a food service and on a Sunday people order a roast beef and a pint.

Richard Grainger, owner of Graingers pub in Dublin (right), observes social distancing while he delivers pints of Guinness to customer Billy Scully during the coronavirus lockdown (Niall Carson/PA Wire)

"We look after people who are cocooning and can't get out of their house. Some of them have been drinking from the age of 17 and are used to having a pint every day so we look after them.

"We deliver everything from pints, spirits, wine, cans and cocktails. It's very full on.

"Some people order a pint of Guinness and a bottle of Jameson because they can't get out and we bring it to them.

"It's nice for us to be able to get that for them. The people who are cocooning love it and really appreciate seeing us coming. We haven't had any bad comment about it."

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