COUNTY Mayo has the third highest number of pub closures in the country over the past two years. With 48 pubs having closed throughout 2004 and 2005, Mayo is behind only Galway with 57 closures and Cork with 74.
The fact that people are now drinking more at home because of the smoking ban and cheaper alcohol prices in off-licences are being blamed on the high number of closures. In Castlebar alone, seven pubs have closed in the recent past and only one has been re-opened.
The other three counties in Connacht are at the lower end of the scale with 16 closures in Sligo, 11 in Roscommon and just nine in Leitrim. When the figures from the Connacht counties are compiled, it emerges that more than 10 per cent of all pubs in the five counties have closed their doors in the last two years.
Speaking at the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland AGM, which is being held in Sligo this week, Seamus O’Donoghue, President, said rural pubs and the business community at large are struggling to cope with the exorbitant local authority charges which are spiralling out of control. are varying reasons for these closures, retirement, realising the value of licence or property, however for many small rural pubs they simply could not survive against these spiralling overheads.”
He noted that over the two year period, a study has shown that waste collection charges have increased by over 23%, local authority charges by 20% and water charges by 21%.
Chairman of VFI Mayo, Mr Marty O’Hora who is a publican in Kiltimagh, said the local authority charges might have a small part to play in Mayo compared to other counties but there are other factors which have hit rural pubs in Mayo causing them to close.
“Factors such as exorbitant costs being imposed, the breath checks on the road and more people drinking at home have all resulted in some people deciding to get out of the business. People may be selling their licences but they are holding on to the property. Many of these licences have transfered to new hotels which are being built in many towns and also to petrol stations, more of whom are now selling alcohol. So it is not a total wipeout of the licences.”
Mr O’Hora said a worrying fact about the abolition of the smoking ban and people drinking and smoking in their homes is the fact their children are being exposed to alcohol and cigarettes at a much earlier age. “Smoking may have been regulated in pubs but children have more access to drink and smoking earlier which is a worrying trend. It is something which will have to be dealt with by the Minister who was told by the vintners of this on the introduction of the ban.”
Chris Lavelle, a Westport publican and former Chairman of the VFI, said the restrictions on publicans are the reason for the high number of closures.
“The smoking ban hit us hard here in the county. More and more people are drinking at home. If you are over 18, you still have to have a black ID card, even if you are working on the premises. This is discrimination really. People are now afraid to have a pint and drive.”
Mr Lavelle added high rent costs can also be a problem for vintners who are finding that there is very little week day trade.
“The main trading day for publicans in Mayo is now a Saturday. There is very little trade being done between Monday and Thursday or Friday which is causing the publicans more problems as they are not making enough money to meet the high rent charges.”
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