Over 1,000 licences not renewed
With about five weeks to go to the licensing deadline at the end of September, more than 1,000 licences have yet to be renewed, according to figures from the Revenue Commissioners.
The effects of the recession and below-cost supermarket sales of alcohol, coupled with drink-driving fears, are understood to figure highly in the thinking those who may be reconsidering their future in the licensed trade, with 1,289 publicans failing, so far, to renew their 2010 licence in the past 12 months.
Co Carlow 15
Co Cavan 27
Co Clare 65
Co Cork 137
Co Donegal 106
Co Dublin 146
Co Galway 88
Co Kerry 77
Co Kildare 22
Co Kilkenny 27
Co Laois 24
Co Leitrim 19
Co Limerick 58
Co Longford 18
Co Louth 49
Co Mayo 60
Co Meath 39
Co Monghan 24
Co Offally 30
Co Roscommon 28
Co Sligo 29
Co Tipperary 69
Co Waterford 33
Co Westmeath 32
Co Wexford 47
Co Wicklow 20
The highest number of failures to renew outside Dublin are currently in Cork and Donegal.
According to the figures, 569 of those failing to renew had licences for 2009/2010 but as the licensing year doesn’t start until the end of September, any number of these could conceivably still renew their 2010 licences up to that point.
Some 146 of these are from County Dublin while 137 are from County Cork, 106 from County Donegal and 88 from County Galway.
A further 170 are a mix of Transfers/Revivals/New Premises which, again,
could also conceivably still renew their 2010 licence before October.
At this point County Carlow appears to have the least number of failures to renew at 15.
More than 700 failed to renew their licences in 2008/2009.