Businesses looking at ‘hibernating’ until Spring

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Nearly one-quarter of Galway’s retail and hospitality businesses have indicated they may go into hibernation and not reopen until next Spring due to the pandemic.

The shocking prediction has emerged during discussions with 100 business owners who are engaging with a sectoral business recovery forum organised by Galway Chamber.

CEO Kenny Deery told the Galway City Tribune that businesses had now mostly worked out the costs of staying open once the lockdown restrictions are lifted in phases from now until August.

And in the absence of international tourists, coupled with a drastic cut in the numbers allowed to come inside their premises in order to maintain social distancing the books could not be balanced.

“From our engagements through the sectoral business recovery forum in Galway Chamber, 80% of businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors have indicated that the rest of 2020 will be about survival, with 30% of those (or 24% overall) seriously considering not reopening until Spring 2021 and going into hibernation,” he revealed.
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