Drinks Ireland calls for pubs to be reopened in a sustained manner from December
- #OpeningTime – New video illustrates what a safe reopened pub would look like this Christmas and beyond
- Drinks Ireland calls for pubs to be reopened in a sustained manner from December
Irish pubs have the structures in place to welcome customers back safely, and Drinks Ireland has today reiterated its call on Government to allow them to reopen, in a sustained manner, from December.
The Ibec sector association, which represents Irish drinks manufacturers and suppliers, has launched a new video as part of its #OpeningTime campaign, bringing to life what a safe and reopened pub would look like. This illustrates the strict Covid-19 measures that are in place to ensure people are kept safe, while giving them the opportunity to meet the people they love, in a place they love.
Drinks Ireland has urged Government to base decisions around the reopening of the hospitality sector fairly and based on evidence, research and data.
It says there is little evidence hospitality venues are driving infections, but in contrast there are significant consequences of keeping these regulated hospitality venues shut. This includes people gathering in homes, without social distancing and other measures in place.
Drinks Ireland also said that there is no evidence that pubs that don’t serve food are riskier than those that serve food, with today’s video also clearly showing how safe the pub experience is, regardless of food, when Covid-19 measures are in place.
Patricia Callan, Director of Drinks Ireland said:
“Businesses in the hospitality and experience sector are regulated environments and have proven to be responsible players throughout the crisis. These businesses, if allowed to reopen, will play their part in maintaining strict Covid-19 measures, as we see illustrated in the #OpeningTime video we’re launching today.
“The available research and data, internationally and at home, provides no clear evidence for the sector to be treated differently to other parts of the economy. Studies of the virus around the world show only limited examples of spread in hospitality venues, where Covid-protective measures are in place. For example, official data from Austria has tied fewer than 2% of cases during October to hospitality venues, while only 1.4% of all cases in the Netherlands could be traced back to bars and restaurants. In Ireland, just 0.3% of Covid-19 outbreaks have been linked to pubs to date, according to the HSE/HPSC’s epidemiological data.
“If pubs remain closed, people will be driven to unregulated environments, such as households, where Covid-19 measures may be ignored, and people may mix in large groups, without social distancing.
Pubs are ready and able to welcome customers back. It’s #OpeningTime.”
