Over 120 pubs closed in Roscommon and Westmeath since 2005

Westmeath and Roscommon have lost over 120 pubs since 2005, a new report has revealed.

The stark decline in the number of pubs is laid bare in the latest report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) which found that, while the number of pubs has continued to decline since 2005, this slide was exacerbated by the enforced lockdowns of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While all 26 counties experienced declines in pub numbers over the 16-year period examined in the DIGI report, Westmeath lost almost a quarter of all its pubs since 2005. Westmeath lost 52 pubs since 2005 including six during the pandemic. There are now 161 pubs in the county.

The report makes depressing reading for publicans in Westmeath, but the situation is even worse in neighbouring Roscommon which experienced a whopping 28.3% decline in the number of pubs between 2005 and 2021.

There are 72 fewer pubs in Roscommon than in 2005, while the county lost 16 pubs since 2019, leaving a total now of 182 pubs.

A total of 349 Irish pubs closed right across the country during the two years of the pandemic, while there was an overall drop of 1,829 pubs in Ireland since 2005, representing a decline of over 21%.

The CEO of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and DIGI member, Paul Clancy, describing the findings of the report as “alarming” and said the decline in pub numbers increased during the pandemic which saw the Irish drinks and hospitality industries “suffer the worst of all, with one of the longest lockdowns recorded globally.”

He called the industry to be “monitored carefully” to ensure that all the necessary supports are put in place to stop the sharp decline that is being witnessed in the number of Irish pubs.

“Our high alcohol excise tax is a cost and slows down the growth of the drinks and hospitality business, impacting their day to day operations and bottom line, which is exacerbated currently by inflation and the cost of living” said Mr Clancy.

The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has called on the Government to reduce excise tax to support the industry with “meaningful measures that will be felt immediately and reduce costs overnight for tens of thousands of business owners” said Paul Clancy.

The DIGI survey found that the largest decline in pub numbers was in county Laois, which experienced a 30.6% decrease since 2005, while the county with the least number of pub closures over that period was Meath with just 1.4%, followed by Dublin with 4.3%.

All remaining 23 counties in the Republic had decreases of more than 10%.

The Irish Pub: Stopping the Decline report is based on the group’s analysis of Revenue license data and includes an economic and social analysis by Dublin City University (DCU) economist Anthony Foley.

Professor Foley said there is likely to be “a negative social impact” arising from the closure of the 1,829 public houses between 2005 and 2021.

“Pubs serve as a vital social outlet for many people, particularly in rural Ireland. With people living there faced by the spectre of rural decline, preserving the cultural heritage of the Irish pub in Ireland is arguably a progressive course of action” he said.

The economist added that high excise would have a positive effect on the commercial sustainability of small public houses and would be a strong element in the wider policy strategy to support rural areas and commented that it is “a measure which is completely within the scope of Government.”

Kathryn D’Arcy, recently appointed Chair of DIGI and Communications and Corporate Affairs Director at Irish Distillers said: “The Irish pub has been in a steady decline for years, and these stark figures once again highlight the need to secure the sustainable future of our pubs.

“Central to this is introducing policy measures which can make both an immediate difference and a long-term impact in terms of delivering sustainable policy to support these businesses.

“DIGI is seeking a reduction in Ireland’s high excise tax rate which would deliver on this.”