Many pubs will likely shut on St Stephen’s Day due to a lack of food deliveries and to give staff a break.
Michael O’Donovan, chairman of the Cork branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, said staff who have been asked to work longer hours in the run-up to Christmas would likely get December 26 off.
Pubs that serve food reopened for business on Friday following the lifting of Level 5 restrictions, with staff rostered for the month.
Mr O’Donovan said: “Normally on Christmas eve most venues would finish food after lunch.
“But with the guidelines the way they are now, where a pub can only operate as a restaurant, they have to have food going until closing time.
“So having a trade-off with staff, they (publicans) decided to close St Stephen’s Day if they work late on Christmas eve and again work late on New Year’s Eve.”
But fresh food deliveries are also a factor, with many suppliers unlikely to deliver on December 26.
Mr O’Donovan, who runs historic family pub the Castle Inn in Cork city, said the last food deliveries for many pubs would be Christmas eve.
He said: “Our members found that suppliers aren’t working on St Stephen’s Day, so a lot of bars have taken the decision, in order to operate Christmas Eve and New Year’s eve, that they’re going to stay closed on St Stephen’s Day.
“Traditionally If you look around Cork city, most restaurants are closed for a few days after Christmas.”
In normal circumstances St Stephen’s Day is a popular pub day in suburban pubs with televised horse racing and sport.
