Tag Archives: Clare VFI

THE Clare chairman of the Vinters Federation of Ireland (VFI) has warned that without State support in the upcoming budget there will be more pub closures. Ninety-two pubs closed in Clare between 2005 and 2021, almost a quarter of the total number, figures from the VFI show. Ennis publican Charlie O’Meara told the Champion, “After two difficult years of lockdown we really needed a bit of stability for a couple of years, just to get people back on track again. “Unfortunately that hasn’t happened, and over the last number of weeks we’re seeing serious pressure on pubs. The biggest thing is the energy costs, we’d be calling on the Government to give us some break in the budget. “It’d have been great to see a cap on electricity prices, but that’s not going to happen. Something like what they did in Covid, to give a waiver on rates, that’s something we’d be calling for.” Should backing not be forthcoming, more …

THE Clare chair of the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland (VFI) has described the government’s plans to restrict indoor hospitality to vaccinated people only as “a total smokescreen”. Charlie O’Meara characterised the mood of the county’s 160 VFI members as one of “annoyance, anger and frustration” at news that indoor hospitality will not now resume until July 19, at the earliest, and that unvaccinated people may be banned. The Ennis publican said he now fears for what faces the trade this winter when government supports come to an end and vintners try to restart their businesses, without the benefit of the normal summer takings. “There has been absolutely terrible treatment of our members,” he told The Champion. “There’s been no respect whatsoever and the government would have been happy enough, once again, to leave this issue to the eleventh hour, but for the fact that the VFI in Dublin put pressure on them to make a decision. It’s just not good …