Pub closures hit rural areas

By TONY GALVIN THE 70 or so pub closures around Co Galway since 2005 are only the tip of the iceberg and many more are on the brink of closure as the industry is hit by multiple problems. [private] This is the warning issued by President of the Co Galway VFI branch, Christy Ruane, who runs a pub and business in Glentane, Castleblakeney. He told The Herald that the headline figure of over 1,000 Irish pubs closing in the past number of years distracted attention from the real problem, which is that the pub trade is being slowly destroyed by below-cost selling. There are concerns that the closure of pubs in many rural areas is having a detrimental impact on the cultural and social life in communities and when combined with the loss of Post Offices, Garda stations and other services, could endanger the viability of many small villages. The fear within the trade is that new regulations coming into force this week's lowering the legal drink-driving limits will hit businesses hard just at a time when so many publicans are struggling for survival. Christy Ruane said the culture of alcohol consumption was changing and if pubs, especially in rural areas, are to survive as focal points of the community then the problems being experienced need to be looked at seriously. Not alone are pubs closing down but many are now working on reduced hours, with rural pubs often only operating for a number of hours in the evening. In addition, many premises were being leased on short-term lets and this was adding to the destabilisation in the sector. He said there is a great deal of disillusionment in the pub trade at the moment and he expects matters to get even worse in the coming year. He feels that a lot of publicans would be happy to sell up because they are being hit so hard by falling trade but there is no market for pubs either. The one note of optimism on an otherwise bleak horizon is the hope the Government steps in, as promised, and tackles the issue of below-cost selling by supermarkets. The VFI feel that one of the main reasons for the fall in trade is the availability of cheap alcohol products in supermarkets, which is prompting more people to drink at home rather than go out to pubs in the evenings. Figures published this week show that over 1,000 pubs have closed around the country since 2005. Revenue Commission figures show that in 2005 there were 8,617 pubs operating in the country but recent figures obtained this month show that this figure has fallen by 1,108 and is down to 7,509. Publicans feel they have been hit by a â€Ëœperfect storm' when it comes to trade. The smoking ban, cheap supermarket sales, stricter drink driving enforcement and scarcity of consumer cash have all combined to impact detrimentally on the pub trade. 'We are looking at the demise of the traditional pub as we knew it and people should be aware that means a lot more than simply the loss of a small business. It can impact on everything from rural isolation to the loss of a community facility and the increase in unsupervised drinking, especially among the young, Christy Ruane warned. New drink driving limits THIS Bank Holiday weekend sees the introduction of new lower blood-alcohol limits for drivers and the Gardai have promised the widespread setting up of random roadside checks to drive home the message that there is no longer any safe alcohol limit when driving. From tomorrow, Thursday, a new breath test limit of 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, down from the current 80mg limit, will be in force. Motorists found over the new 50mg limit but below the 80mg mark will not have to go to Court but will pay a fine of €200 and receive three penalty points. Those with readings between 80 and 100mg will face an automatic six-month driving ban and a fine of €400. A conviction will also be recorded against them. Anyone with a reading above the 100mg mark will have to answer the charge in Court. All motorists found over 50mg will, however, have to notify their insurance companies when renewing their policies. The new fine, points and six-month ban option can only be used once in any three-year period. [/private]