Publicans outlined proposed support package

Publicans are pressing the Government to provide a strong support package for pubs who are unable to open due to the public health circumstances.

With pubs being treated differently to other sectors of the economy, the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) want to see funding provided to all pubs who are being asked to stay closed due to the public health requirements.

While pubs who are still closed want to reopen and trade as their first priority, there is growing scepticism across the industry that the Government will allow them to open their doors at the end of the month, in light of the critical public health situation that has been developing and the Government prioritising the reopening of schools.

If the Government is to further delay the reopening of pubs, both the LVA and VFI have said it is critical that a support package for the industry be simultaneously announced. They have called for measures which offer “meaningful support” in the form of grant aid to be included – not loans or cuts in indirect tax which will not benefit pubs that are closed. The specific measures put forward by the vintners groups are:

-Introduction of a ‘Pub Support Package’ which will provide direct financial aid to pubs that are closed by order of the Government. This grant is calculated on a pro-rata weekly basis, linked to the Re-start Grant Plus scheme announced by the Government.

-Under the ‘Pub Support Package’ proposed by the vintners, this system of payment would be provided on the same pro-rata weekly basis to pubs for as long as they must continue to keep their doors closed by order of the Government. Accordingly, the payments would range from a low of €270 weekly to a high of €1,650 weekly depending on the rateable valuation of the premises. It would apply from June 29 onwards for each week the Government keeps these pubs closed.

-Maintenance of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) at current rates for all closed pubs until their reopening.

-Extension of current licences for a period of 1 year until September 2021 for all licensed premises, except for any licence renewals which the Gardaí intend to object to this coming September.