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The possibility that pubs will not reopen until a Covid-19 vaccine has been found has been described as a “nightmare scenario” by the agency representing Dublin’s publicans.
The Association of Licensed Winemakers (LVA) said that many pubs will close their businesses permanently if such a long shutdown occurs.
He was commenting after Heineken Ireland put its staff on a four-day week for two months due to falling demand for its beer products since the closure began.
Heineken Ireland declined to comment on the job changes, but The Irish Times has established that the company’s approximately 400 company employees were informed by letter earlier this month of the planned job reduction.
It is understood that the staff was informed that all employees would be moving to a four-day week in early May and that the new work agreement would remain in effect for May and June.
The vast majority of the company’s employees work inside or outside the Lady’s Well Brewery Brewery on Leitrim Street in Cork, while a smaller number work in their Dublin office with others involved in roadside sales.
Heineken Ireland makes not only Heineken, but also Murphy and Beamish beers, Orchard Thieves cider, and Coors Light and Foster beers at Cork Brewery.
Health Minister Simon Harris said over the weekend that he could not see how people could return to “full pubs” while the virus was still in the community and in the absence of a vaccine.
These comments “petrified” the sector, LVA Chief Executive Donall O’Keeffe said, adding that such a long shutdown was “the absolute nightmare scenario.”
“If that happens, then most of the pubs in this country will be closed permanently.”
He said that the LVA and its members would support measures deemed necessary in the interest of public health, as they had done since the beginning of the crisis.
“But if it is going to be necessary to close pubs until 2021, then it is essential that a specific support scheme for pubs is introduced. Otherwise, there won’t be a pub industry in this country by the time a vaccine is found. “
The LVA appreciated the strong government support for the 50,000 employees laid off as a result of the crisis, he said.
“This will have to extend during the pub’s closing period. However, unless supplemented by a specific support scheme to keep pubs afloat, staff will have no jobs to return to. ”
While Mr. Harris was doing exceptional work in a time of national crisis, his comments “have really petrified the entire bar sector across the country and many are now concerned not only with how to survive this pandemic, but also if they will still have a business when this crisis finally passes, “added O’Keeffe.
Harris posted a video update on Twitter Saturday night that outlines the latest ideas in his department.
Responding to a question about whether Electric Picnic would take place this year, he said it was unlikely that we will have such massive gatherings anytime soon. “Soon we will have to make a decision about these massive meetings. I think it is unlikely that we will see massive meetings any time soon. I think we will have to maintain our social distance even if we can reduce some of the existing restrictions as well. ”
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