QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANT (QSR) & PUB SECTOR

Decision to keep Dublin 'wet pubs' closed criticised

RTE Business– 15.09.2020

The chief executive of the Licensed Vintners Association has described today's decision not to re-open Dublin's wet pubs as "absolutely devastating”. The Government earlier announced that pubs in 25 counties will open on 21 September as planned. But wet pubs, or pubs that do not serve food, will not be allowed to reopen in Dublin due to the fact that the level of coronavirus in the city and county has increased more than tenfold in the past two months. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr O'Keeffe called on the Government to outline the financial supports that will make available for the businesses.

Publicans at risk of defaulting on mortgages - LVA

RTE Business– 01.09.2020

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) claims that once the six-month moratorium on mortgage repayments put in place by the banks in March expires later this month, many publicans will still be unable to afford to repay their loans. As a result they will technically be deemed to be in default, the LVA says, a designation that could damage their credit rating. The LVA claims that only a tiny amount of the €16m package of assistance announced by the Government will actually be made up of grant aid for closed pubs, which is what they need.