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Common sense public health measures were the main topics of discussion as regulars breastfed their first pints at their favorite place for the first time in six months.
Terry Brennan, Humphrey Kerins and Don Horgan were among the first patrons to walk through the doors of the historic Castle Inn in Cork City for the first time since March 14 when hundreds of so-called ‘wet pubs’ reopened after closing.
“If everyone takes responsibility, I think we can live with this. We will have to live with this, ”Kerins said.
Mr. Brennan agreed: “A large dose of cop-on will be something that would help everyone enjoy a little more.” Publisher Michael O’Donovan, the third generation in his family to run the small traditional country-style pub in the heart of the city, said he felt nervous but somewhat hopeful to be back behind the bar.
And behind a face shield, he said: “It’s great to have the opportunity to go back to work. There’s a bit of nervousness, but I’m looking forward to it. “
“It’s a bit like the first day of school or the first day at a new job, but it’s great to be back.” It has invested in the cozy and intimate pub on South Main St, installing hand sanitizers, repainting the interior, laying new floors, installing new toilets, and staff have completed Fáilte Ireland Covid-19 training in an attempt to reassure customers. .
The pub, which could hold up to 80 people on a busy night, has now reduced its capacity to a maximum of 32 and introduced table service.
No one can sit at the bar. Bettors must remain seated at tables of two, three, four and six. The capacity of his commode has been reduced from 12 to six.
Against the background of rising Covid-19 numbers, O’Donovan said there is a sense of fear that the reopening will be short-lived.
“It would be heartbreaking if we had to close a second time,” he said.
“There is a concern about what it would do to us mentally, and in terms of increasing the number of clients and giving them the guarantees, and if we close again it will be very difficult to start the business a second time.
“It will be a challenge, but at least we have the opportunity to open up and negotiate and see how we go.” Mr. Brennan and Mr. Kerins sat six feet apart, sipping creamy pints of Beamish, while Mr. Horgan sipped sparkling water at another table.
All agreed that common sense and personal responsibility will be the key to stopping the spread of Covid-19 and ensuring that pubs outside of Dublin that don’t serve food can stay open.
“It has been said, especially in rural areas of Ireland, that the pub is more than a pub,” said Horgan.
“And that is what I have missed. This pub is like a living room. This is where I come to chat, watch the news and sports, and solve the world’s problems with a couple of pints.
“That’s what I’ve missed, the camaraderie, the talk behind the bar and catching up.
“I have been to pubs that serve food and they have been run very well, but it has made me long for the Castle Inn and other pubs even more because they were my premises.
“It feels strange but not sterile because I have always felt that it is the people who create the atmosphere.
“And this pub has always had a great atmosphere, because of the people.
“There is a bit of social distancing. There must be. And we can’t sit at the bar. There is additional hand washing and disinfection, but it’s okay. That’s the new norm and if that’s what it takes, I’ll happily sit at a table and drink my pint here. ”
Mr. Brennan agreed, saying: “I think everyone will get used to the new normal, as they say, and it is just common sense. If everyone wears a little police, we can go to a pub and have fun in safety and comfort.
“I think it will calm down with time and I think people will find their own normalcy and find a time to visit a pub that suits them. But it’s up to us to take care of ourselves. ”Kerins said she hasn’t called the“ home bar ”for chat and stories in recent months.
“I’ve been to pubs where they make food and it’s okay, it’s structured, but it’s a bar, it’s kind of a real ‘conversation’ bar, a place where you can have a couple of pints, tell stories, listen to the news, it’s a Very relaxing bar, a place where you can read the newspaper, have a few pints, get a little news and it’s a great social bar, ”he said.
“But you have to take responsibility for your own actions. If everyone takes responsibility, I think we can live with this. We are going to have to live with this. ”
However, the owners of Callanan’s Pub on George’s Quay, another small family pub, said they weren’t ready to open yet.
In a post on social media, the owners said they will “wait at least two more weeks” and see how the situation develops.
We have decided that we are not ready to reopen tomorrow. We will see how the situation develops, but we will leave it for at least two more weeks. We wish all of our fellow “wet” pubs who decide to open the best and we can even visit one or two to see how.
– Callanan’s Bar (@callanansbar) September 20, 2020
“We wish all our fellow ‘wet’ pubs who decide to open the best and we can even stop by one or two to see how,” they said.
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