Image: Shutterstock/Master1305 Image: Shutterstock/Master1305 PUBLICANS ARE CALLING for clarity on whether or not they will be able to reopen their doors from Monday, when Phase Four is set to commence.
The Chief Executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland , Padraig Cribben, said that members are completely in the dark about both guidelines and whether they’ll be able to open. “Clearly there may be some nuances in relation to the pubs specifically, but I would expect that the vast majority of the guidance and the measures that they’d been asked to put in place are already out there in the public domain through the guidance that’s been published with the hospitality sector,” he said, speaking to reporters on Monday night.In Cork City’s Castle Inn, owner Michael O’Donovan is concerned about missing the deadline for ordering his stock.
“Many of these pubs are family-run businesses and the owners have to make arrangements for their families. They need to know in advance what is happening. We cannot tell them on Monday morning that they can open at 10am that day,” said McNamara. O’Donovan is also concerned about staff returning to work, and transitioning off the pandemic unemployment payment before he is able to open. As he is also currently accessing the payment, he won’t have a source of income to pay his staff until the pub is fully up and running again.
According to Moynihan, his staff are “mad to get back to work”, but they still need clarity on whether they’ll be opening on Monday to ensure staff have enough notice to return to work and to be trained in new procedures.