Pubs go under the hammer – but only after shutting up shop

The hammer is coming down on more pubs than ever across the county.

The licenced premises are being sold – but the demand has nothing to do with their appeal as licensed premises.

“We are now looking at a situation that closed up pubs are now being purchased for the extension of legal practices and office accommodation,” admitted former Vintners Federation President Paul O’Grady from Tuam.

Current County Galway PRO Timmy Broderick from Kilconnell does not disagree all that much, acknowledging that the supply of pubs in County Galway is exceeding demand.

The Kilconnell publican and local independent councillor said that business had improved this Christmas compared to recent years when the trade hit a huge slump.

But at the same time, Cllr Broderick has slammed the practice of below cost selling of alcohol in supermarkets – and he said believed that this was one of the reasons why so many pubs had closed.

It many cases it was ‘out drinking early and home early’ with the night trade suffering as a result.

There were a lot of those working away from home back in the country but not as many as usual.

Former VFI President Paul O’Grady believes that there is only sustainability for around ten pubs in each of the major towns in the county. “The rest are living on a shoestring with nothing to be gained,” he said.

Mr O’Grady said that that there were closed up pubs in towns in County Galway that would never serve a pint again.

“Their licenses are worth around €€60,000 but they will never deliver another pint. It is just not worth it,” he said.

“We have seen some of the most famous and legendary pubs in Galway close down and will never reopen because of the downturn in the trade. Pubs are now being bought by offices and legal firms who are selling on the licenses.

“The trade has changed so dramatically in recent years that it is just hard to keep up with it. The bottom line is that we have much too many pubs in County Galway at the moment.

“The situation has to be addressed at both local and national level,” Mr O’Grady added.