Public overwhelmingly backs measures to prevent closure of rural pubs, new poll finds

Vintners' Federation of Ireland warn communities risk losing vital hubs, as new research finds huge public concern about their continued viability

A new poll commissioned by the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) and conducted by Amárach has found overwhelming public support for measures to protect rural pubs, with four in five adults saying the Government should take action to help prevent the closure of small rural pubs.

The findings come as the VFI warns that Ireland is facing an avalanche of pub closures and is at risk of losing one of the country’s most prominent social and cultural institutions.

The polling found that 80% of adults believe the Government should take action to help protect small rural pubs in Budget 2027 because of the role they play in local communities.

The polling also found that 85% of adults feel their local pubs are important community hubs and play an important role in tackling social isolation, while 79% said that the closure of rural pubs will see an acceleration in the decline of our local towns and villages.

An important social hub

The importance of the rural pub as a social anchor has previously been recognised by other community organisations such as the GAA, which has warned that the loss of local amenities, including pubs, is contributing to the erosion of the social fabric of rural communities and that continued decline could further entrench rural depopulation.

VFI chief executive Pat Crotty said: “Four in five Irish adults believe the Government should take action to protect small rural pubs, while 85% recognise the vital role rural pubs play as community hubs and in tackling social isolation.

“A pub is so much more than a business. It is where the local GAA team gathers after the match, where a fundraiser for local services takes place, where weddings and funerals gather, where trad sessions and live music happen and, increasingly, one of the last places where people who may not have many family or friends can meet in a social setting.”

“When a rural pub closes, communities do not just lose somewhere to have a drink. They can lose one of their last remaining indoor public gathering spaces and an important part of the social fabric of the town or village.

“More than 2,200 pubs have already closed since 2005 and the rate of closures is accelerating. At the same time, publicans are facing a crippling combination of rising wages, energy, water, insurance and supplier costs, with many operating on margins of less than 1%. Without targeted support, we are approaching a point where these pressures will result in an avalanche of further closures.

“The Government has an opportunity in Budget 2027 to act. The VFI’s proposed On-Trade Sustainability Scheme would provide a targeted, capped tax credit to support pubs facing the greatest commercial pressure. This is a business support measure delivered through the tax system, not an excise rebate, and builds on tax-credit models already used by Government to support sectors including film, television and digital gaming.

“I think it is clear what is at stake here. We now need the Government to recognise it too and take action in Budget 2027 before more villages across Ireland lose another local community hub, and for many, their last.”