Tipperary publican looks forward to reopening - "I can't wait to get back up and running"
Gleesons Pub at the Irishtown side of the famed West Gate in Clonmel are “mad to get moving” on the reopening of their premises according to proprietor Richie. The family-owned venue is 35 years in business but has been closed since mid March due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
“We closed on 15th March early that day before the announcement was made. It was getting scary at the time,” Richie began.
“It was like a bereavement, it was weird. There was that fear factor and then there was not knowing what was going to happen, worrying about finances, would we ever recover. There was all different stages of anxiety, I suppose. But then I was also really enjoying the time at home, time with the kids and family life, getting a few jobs done here and there,” he added.
Richie, who is the Vice-Chairman of the Clonmel branch of the Vintners Federation, was quick to point out that “the biggest problem we have at the moment is that there are no clear guidelines for pubs regarding reopening. There was a document released recently for the tourist industry which covered restaurants and hotels and there was a small snippet in it about how they should open their bars, that’s all, general guidelines, but stuff we all know already as publicans.
“I have gotten on to a couple of lads to put in perspex screens. I have gotten prices and got them measured and got them looked at, etc., but we still can’t get an official announcement as to whether that is going to be acceptable. For example will the perspex between our cubicles have to go all the way up to the ceiling, or will a shorter height be acceptable. Whatever I put up there it is going to hinder people watching live sports. It’s a nightmare. If they could make a definite decision and get on with it, that would help a lot,” he added.
Like all other publicans Richie sees the two-metre ruling as a huge factor that will determine how pubs will reopen and when.
“The two metre ruling is essential. It is next to impossible to properly monitor two metre distancing. I won’t say it is impossible, everything is possible. What has really bugged me since the start of this is the negativity saying that pubs cannot control crowds, you can’t control people drinking. We are in this business 35 years, I know what I am doing, I do run a good operation. But I will open no matter what and reopen when allowed to do so - two metres or one,” he said.
“Some pubs may not reopen, one or two might hold out longer until the rules are down to just one metre. I know of one or two that won’t reopen because they are smaller premises. They haven’t enough space and they couldn’t make it viable as a business,” he said.
It is a tough business at the best of times for any publican according to Richie.
“I feel sorry for anyone that has got massive overheads. There will be publicans out there at the moment with a sabbatical on their repayments but once they get back up and running those are all coming flooding at them. Even with ourselves there are some. Sky is an astronomical fee. It’s ridiculous that it comes to mind first. It’s a sports channel at the end of the day. And all of us are being held to ransom by them and they will not negotiate with anybody. You either pay it or you don’t have the service, end of story.
Looking ahead, Richie went on to say.
“Currently people are socialising anyway and there is nothing to control that. And you can understand them wanting to get out and socialise. The Gardai have the right and the access to come in here and watch what I am doing and see if I am running a good show or not. But they cannot do that in a private dwelling where socialising is now going on.
“As much as I have a level of fear about the reopening I can’t wait to get back up and running. I love interacting with people and even with social distancing people can interact safely in a pub, even just to say hello to people we haven’t seen in months coming in the door. Just to get back to normal life again,” concluded Richie.