Lockdown extension would drive you to drink

The head of Galway’s vintners has claimed that devastated publicans are close to revolt over the latest setback to their hopes of re-opening to save their summer season.

Johnny Duggan, Chair of the Galway Branch of Vintners Federation of Ireland warned: “If there isn’t a revolt from the hospitality sector, I can safely say I now understand why we were occupied as a nation for 800 years.”

The city bar owner said his members were absolutely reeling and devastated for the trade.

“We can’t fathom the logic of it. Hotels and B&B’s are open inside, and now they’re deferring inside for bars and restaurants even though we’ve proven we can operate with social distancing, contact tracing and all our staff trained. It’s unbelievable. It is illogical,” Mr Duggan said.

This week’s revision on reopening means hotels can continue to provide indoor and outdoor dining to guests; bars and restaurants with outdoor space can continue serve outdoors – but traditional pubs and restaurants without beer gardens or outdoor space must remain shuttered.

And now a new layer of discrimination under consideration and to be published July 19 – vaccination ‘passports’ for indoor dining – is causing widespread disquiet.

Read full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now. Or you can download the digital edition on www.connachttribune.ie