One fifth of pubs in County Galway have closed since economic crash

Rural pubs will continue to be forced to close their doors unless action is taken to halt the decline of rural communities across the country, the Monivea-based publican leading the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) has warned.

This comes as it was revealed this week that almost 20% of pubs in County Galway have had to shut up shop over the past 13 years – equating to 110 less pubs, most of which have been lost since the economy crashed in 2007.

President of the VFI, Pádraic, McGann said the only way to stop this was to ensure that publicans in rural Ireland were being treated fairly – and one area where Galway publicans were at a particular disadvantage was in the calculation of commercial rates.

Mr McGann explained that ten years ago, the manner in which publicans’ rates are calculated changed. Where it had previously been calculated on the size of a premises, they are now calculated based on the turnover of the business over three years.

However, pubs in six counties have yet to be reassessed – one of which is Galway.

“As President of the VFI, all I would like to see is fair play and if you’re entitled to something, you should get it. A lot of pubs are going out of business because of rates.

“Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Kerry and Cork are still to be done,” he said.

Mr McGann said it would be another two years before publicans in Galway had their rates recalculated and as a result, some were being forced to close.

“70% [in other areas of the country] that have been recalculated have had a reduction; 20% have stayed the same; and 10% have seen an increase because their takings were up.

“We know the calculation so we’re able to work out for ourselves what the difference would be and I know that my rates [for McGann’s Pub in Monivea] would be €4,000 less a year. Over ten years, that’s €40,000,” he said.

“When you think of all the pubs that have had to close over because of being unable to pay their rates or being in arrears with Galway County Council . . . and this is something they were entitled to eight years ago,” he added.

Approximately 65% of pubs outside of Dublin turn over less than €4,500 per week and a further 33% are taking less than €7,500 per week,” said Mr McGann, adding that any pub taking less than €4,500 was “not sustainable”.

The problem for rural pubs was more than financial though, said Mr McGann, with the closure of rural pubs emblematic of the collapse of the rural economy.

Culture had changed, he said, and people were now drinking more frequently at home due to the cheap price of alcohol in supermarkets.

Stricter drink-driving laws and a lack of taxis and hackneys in rural areas had left people with no choice but to stop going to the pub.

“What would really help rural Ireland would be if we were to start looking at older people and start setting up small retirement villages in rural areas, where you would have 100 houses and all necessary services on one site,” said Mr McGann, who has previously tried to develop a retirement village in Monivea, but was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.

This, he said, would halt declining populations in rural areas and create employment, thus boosting the local economy and increasing the sustainability of rural businesses.

Meanwhile, local councillor and Kilconnell publican, Tim Broderick, said that rural pubs in many cases were part of the fabric of rural life – creating a hub for the community and providing a social outlet for people that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

Calling for a “level playing field”, Cllr Broderick said that the number of pubs closing came as little surprise when supermarkets were, he claimed, selling alcohol for below cost price.

Pubs provided a controlled environment for the consumption of alcohol, something that didn’t exist when people were buying cheap drink from the shops.

“Most publicans are responsible people who conduct their business within the law. They provide entertainment and they’re doing their best for their area.

“The person you’re serving is the person you’re going to be meeting on the street the next day. They care about their clientele and their community,” said Cllr Broderick.

Cllr Broderick said there needed to be a long-term vision for rural Ireland and that pub closures represented the lack of action being taken by Government to secure smaller communities’ survival.