It’s time to support our rural pub trade
Fionnuala Carolan, editor of Drinks Industry Ireland magazine
It’s impossible to get away from the fact that the rural pub industry is in dire straits. More than 2,200 pubs have closed nationwide since 2005, with closures now averaging 128 a year. I remember when I was a teenager doing a lap of my hometown with my friends, a medium size rural town, and we counted 16 pubs and not much else. Pubs were the one business that were guaranteed to keep the lights on in a town or village. Things have been been getting progressively worse for the trade in recent years, especially since the drink driving laws changed without any real solution to rural public transport. Many of those people who were going to the pub a few times a week for two or three drinks started having their few drinks, bought in the supermarket, at home. With the cost of living only going one way, you can understand why this habit has remained long after Covid has gone.
The worst thing about this, aside from the loss of business to the publican, is the loss of the social interaction for many who live alone. VFI found that 85% of adults regard local pubs as important community hubs, while 79% believe rural pub closures contribute to the decline of towns and villages. As Michael McGonigle says in our pub profile interview this month, his pub in rural Roscommon is a social hub for the community and his job is often blurred between publican and counsellor. He knows when someone needs a chat or a quiet word and he sees how his customers support one another when they meet in the pub. The image of a person drinking alone in their home is such a sad one and this practise has far-reaching consequences, among them being a strain on mental health services down the line.
The VFI are imploring the government in Budget 2027 to put the fate of rural pubs on the agenda. Included in the research carried out by the VFI, it indicates that 65% of publicans consider rising costs unsustainable, while more than four in ten say trading conditions have worsened over the past year.
The proposed On-Trade Sustainability Scheme is being presented as a potential targeted support for these struggling pubs. The scheme would provide a tax credit linked to draught product purchases, capped at €20,000 per premises. The measure could be particularly relevant to rural pubs, many of which operate with modest turnover and serve small communities. If these supports were put in place the publican could concentrate on what they do best, which is creating an important local hub for social interaction.
Elsewhere, we speak to Ryan McFarland of Drinksology Kirker Greer about their new venture Spiritly, a specialist wholesaler focused on premium spirits. They have identified a niche in the market and decided to trial the service due to customer demand and so far, so good. It seems like there is a thriving market for premium spirits.
We also have a bumper Irish whiskey feature for you this month. After Donald Trump’s visit to the Irish Open last month, the drinks industry can breathe a sigh of relief for now at least, as the removal of tariffs on Irish whiskey brings us back into line with the UK, creating a level playing field once again. If you have any news or views on the industry that you would like to share or highlight, please get in touch at Fionnualacarolan@mediateam.ie.
Fionnuala Carolan
Editor
