This article is from page 11 of the 2014-03-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
THE number of pubs, clubs and hotel bars operating in Ennis has dropped by nearly 30 per cent over the last five years, with a number of pubs expected to go under when the rates bills are delivered to premises later this month.
According to Clare head of the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), Charlie O’Meara, at least 11 pubs have gone out of business in Ennis since 2009, with just 29 currently operating in the county town.
Speaking yesterday Mr O’Meara said that the economic recovery spoken about in parts of the country had yet to reach Clare.
“Christmas was okay but January and February have been very poor. This expected turn around in the economy has not been seen in Ennis yet, certainly not in the pub trade,” he said.
“Our biggest difficulty is multiples [large supermarkets] selling drink in Ennis at prices that we just can’t compete with. We have serious overheads and running costs but what can we say to people to who come and and say they can buy a bottle of vodka for for € 8 or € 9 and we are charging € 4 a shot for it.
“You can’t blame the punter on the street for looking for the best price that they can but it is a tough struggle for pubs at the moment just to compete. You are going to see more and more pubs disappearing.”
Mr O’Meara has warned that a number of pubs and other businesses are on the verge of going under in Ennis at the moment.
“The rates will be due in the next few weeks and we could be a few businesses going under then. If you are teetering on the brink, trying to keep your business afloat, the rates can actually bring you down,” he said.
“I might not seem like a lot but it you are just hanging on, a bill of a couple of thousand can be the final straw.”