The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) has insisted that the government allows all pubs – traditional and gastro – as well as other hospitality venues, to provide outdoor service from the week beginning May 24.
The rallying call comes after pubs in Dublin sadly passed the milestone of 400 consecutive days of closure.
The majority of pubs across Ireland initially shut their doors on March 15, 2020, while gastropubs have been closed since Christmas Eve.
In a statement that was released today, the LVA is urging publicans to contact their local political representatives and urging them to ensure all pubs are allowed to provide outdoor service by May 24.
Speaking with the Irish Mirror this afternoon, various ministers also spoke about the issue of reopening the country and the hospitality sector was high on the agenda.
Minister Simon Harris said that there is “the potential for more” restrictions being eased in May than what has already been indicated.
When pressed by the Irish Mirror about what the potential "for more" meant, and if it could involve an early return of outdoor dining, the Minister agreed, as he said he witnessed safe outdoor activity in his own constituency, Wicklow, this weekend.
Mr Harris said: “I think there might be the potential to do a bit more in May.
And then he crucially added: “things like outdoor dining and the likes.
“I’m not in a position to give a definitive view, but I think we need to start answering those questions next week," he added.
Speaking today, the Taoiseach said: “In terms of hospitality, it has suffered more than most, over the longest period of this pandemic.
“But again, we have set out the areas that we will examine for May towards the end of this month, we’ll do that next week.”
Donall O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA, has said that given the pending reopening of the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland should lead to similar efforts being made in the Republic.
:"We are launching a call to action and urging all our members to contact their political representatives. They should press for the reopening of the hospitality sector to begin with outdoor service for traditional pubs, gastropubs, restaurants and hotels from late May. This matches up with the timeframe outlined by NPHET for social contact to remain unchanged and also for the further rollout of vaccines."
O’Keeffe adds: “We also are encouraging our members to press for a limited disparity between the reopening of hospitality in Northern Ireland and the Republic. Any major gap will just see thousands of people travel across the border every week to enjoy pubs and restaurants."
The Government is set to meet next week to decide on the latest roadmap out of lockdown and will outline what is to come for May, June and July.
However, the Licensed Vintners Association also have a series of other points that they'd like publicans to raise with their elected politicians.
In terms of the other points the LVA is asking publicans to highlight, they include:
- The reopening in Northern Ireland and Britain will see all types of hospitality venue treated the same.
- Indoor service for all hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland commences on 24 May, the same day as the LVA proposes outdoor service to resume in the Republic.
- Any long delays between the reopening of hospitality in Northern Ireland and the Republic will inevitably lead to thousands of people crossing the border every week to make use of pubs and restaurants.
- The risk profile for drinking or dining indoors is the same for all forms of hospitality venue – whether it is in traditional pubs, gastropubs, restaurants or hotels.
- If hotels are to reopen in June, they will have to be able to provide indoor service for their guests. At that time indoor service across all forms of hospitality should resume.
- Any move to advance the reopening of certain sections of hospitality over others will be regarded as a discriminatory choice made by Government that will not be accepted.
- All hospitality should open together.
