Trade suffers break-ins & vandalism during shut-down
High-value items in pubs will have been removed, with taps and kegs lifted from outlets by the breweries.
Some believe that more will be broken into in the days and weeks ahead.
As a result a number of publicans have decided to board up their shopfronts to try to prevent break-ins and vandalism of their sometimes historical frontispieces.
These include the Palace Bar on Fleet Street and the Merchant’s Arch pub on Wellington Quay according to a report in the Herald recently.
Gardai caught three suspects after they’d allegedly raided the Oak Bar on Temple Bar’s Parliament Street in the early hours of the shut-down, reported the Herald.
All pubs will have been de-stocked pretty soon afterwards and cash will have been moved to the bank since the closedown came into operation.
Other high-value items will also have been removed, with taps and kegs being lifted from outlets by the breweries.
“We’re in an unprecedented situation with all the pubs in the country fully closed – and potentially for an extended period,” the Licenserd Vintners Association’s Chief Executive Donall O’Keeffe told Drinks Industry Ireland.
The LVA has advised its members to take all necessary steps to secure their premises.
“In addition to robbery, there is a threat of vandalism to unoccupied premises,” said Donall O’Keeffe, “Many Dublin pubs are beautiful (sometimes protected) shopfronts, stained glass windows and antique signage that would be irreplaceable, if damaged.
“It’s not what our members want to be doing, but they must protect their premises in this shocking situation,” he concluded.
Outside Dublin this appears to be somewhat less of a problem, reports the Vintners Federation of Ireland.
Last week, a Finglas pub was damaged by a fire believed to have been started outside deliberately.
