HUNDREDS OF pubs in Ireland could be opening their doors to the public next month due to a loophole in the Government's phased reopening of the economy.
Pubs are not due to reopen for business until Phase 5 of the Government's plan, with bars, cinemas, bowling alleys and theatres expected to be allowed to open from 10 August-- depending on the continued reduction in Covid-19 cases-- as long as there are strict social distancing measures in place.
However, restaurants and cafés have been given the nod to open for business on 29 June, six weeks earlier than the pubs, which has angered publicans but has also given some the opportunity to reopen earlier than planned.
The Irish Mirror reports that hundreds of pubs across the country which have restaurant licenses are planning to get back to business on 29 June, alongside restaurants and cafés.
The pubs and restaurants would have to maintain strict social distancing measures once reopenedHigh-profile publican Charlie Chawke, who owns nine pubs across the country, said he would be opening all of his businesses on the earlier date, insisting that his Dublin-based Goat Pub would be selling pizza and pints outdoors as soon as restaurants are allowed to open.
“I will be complying with the regulations," he told The Irish Mirror.
"I am a restaurant owner, I have restaurant licenses, and this gives me the right to open as a restaurant.”
Hundreds of bars across Ireland also serve food as part of their business, and it is likely that many of them will attempt to take advantage of the plan to allow restaurants to open on 29 June.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said previously that he is very much looking forward to a pint when possible, but said that pubs must be one of the last things to open as social distancing in bars "is very difficult".
"Pubs had to close before they were told to close because they weren't able to maintain social distancing in a number of cases," he told Today FM, repeating that venues like pubs and nightclubs would not be open until mid-August at the earliest.
Representatives for thousands of pubs across Ireland have written to the Taoiseach and Government with radical proposals for introducing social distancing in their businesses, which include limiting the number of customers and maintaining strict table service, but they have not won an earlier opening date so far.
