LVA says that late night openings in late bars & nightclubs continue to decline
For every single night they seek a SEO, late bars and nightclubs must pay an additional €205, plus solicitor fees
The level of late night openings in late bars and nightclubs continues to decline, according to new figures published by the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA). Last year, late bars and nightclubs opened late for 950 fewer late nights, compared to the year before.
Across the country late bars and nightclubs operated a combined 30,651 extended nights in 2025, compared to 31,601 during 2024.
By comparison, there were almost 23% more late night openings in 2018, with 37,597 nights across the country.
The numbers show the level of late night openings for pubs and nightclubs have been declining almost year on year. From the 37.5k openings in 2018, there were 34,861 in 2019.
Immediately after the pandemic, the total grew to 35,942 in 2022. However, late night openings have declined each subsequent year, dropping to 34,064 in 2023; 31,601 in 2024 and 30,651 in 2025.
Special Exemption Orders (SEOs)
Late night openings in Dublin have also declined, dropping by 336 nights in 2025 to a combined late night total for pubs and nightclubs of 12,726. This also represents a drop of 1,617 late night pub and nightclub openings in the capital from the 14,343 total in 2018.
The level of late night openings for late bars and nightclubs is shown by the number of Special Exemption Orders (SEOs) issued by the Courts.
If a late bar or nightclub wishes to extend their licensing beyond regular licensing hours, they must seek a SEO from the Courts for each extended night. The SEO then enables the late bar or nightclub to operate for an additional two hours on the specific night in question. This means they can serve up to 1.30am on Monday – Thursday, or up to 2.30am on Friday and Saturday. Sunday closing with a SEO in place is fixed for 1am.
For every single night they seek a SEO, late bars and nightclubs must pay an additional €205, plus solicitor fees. This sum consists of €150 in court fees and €55 in excise. So, an average late bar or nightclub who seeks to operate later three nights per week has to pay out just under €32,000 (plus legal fees), each year.
Limit the cost of SEOs in Budget
Donall O’Keefe, chief executive officer, LVA
Given the declining level of late night openings, along with the ongoing cost pressures facing pubs and nightclubs across Ireland, the LVA is calling on the Government to limit the cost of SEOs to €100 per night in Budget 2027.
“The number of late bars and nightclubs providing late night socialising continues to plunge in Ireland,” said Donall O’Keeffe, CEO of the LVA. “The figures clearly show the extent of the problem. Around the country, there were almost one thousand fewer late nights last year than there were available the year before. Going back two years, there were almost 3.5k more late night openings provided by the country’s late bars and nightclubs.
“These late night options are declining year on year. A significant factor behind that is the extremely high cost of doing business. That in turn is driven by the cost associated with securing a SEO to keep doors open late. If a late bar or nightclub wants to extend its hours for three nights a week, they have to pay out an additional €32,000 across the year, plus legal fees. This is an unnecessary expense which is primarily imposed by the Government.
“That is why we are asking the Government to be realistic and to limit the costs involved. Late bars and nightclubs should not have to pay more than €100 per night for a SEO to be put in place. After all, the entire late night opening process is meant to become much simpler, once the missing in action Sale of Alcohol Bill is put in place. With that legislation continuing to be put on the long finger by the Government, the least they can do is reduce some of the red tape costs they themselves are imposing.
“Cutting the cost of SEOs is a relatively low expense for Government, estimated at €3.2m annually. It is also a simple measure that can be immediately adopted on Budget night to assist the viability of late opening by late bars and nightclubs. As the numbers show, if something isn’t done the number of late openings will diminish even more, further damaging the vibrancy of the late-night economy and reducing options for our customers,” O’Keeffe said.
