Griffin’s thoughts on the trade

Hotelier Liam Griffin was the keynote speaker at this year's VFI conference in Kilkenny.

 In a wide-raning presentation he spoke on a number of items likely to be of note to the licensed trade, namely:

• “Through NAMA, the Government now owns some 5,000 hotel bedrooms, more than were in communist Russia. The Irish Hotels Federation is getting membership from NAMA while genuine hoteliers can’t afford to pay this”
• “Not knowing how to operate a computer is the new ‘illiteracy’ – it’s like being unable to read and write in the old days”
• “A small shop in Rosslare when I was growing up became a supermarket. It learned to change where publicans have not learned to change. We must learn to change”
• “The Jumeirah Hotel chain’s staff code is ‘Smile before the customer smiles first’”
• “There’s no appealing rates bills here but in the UK rates rebates can be claimed for roadworks nearby, shops in the area closing down and reducing public transport to an area – even your own closure for refurbishments!”