Tipperary publicans say they will be the ones left counting the cost of delaying Phase 4 of the Covid-19 restrictions.
Under the governments plan they were due to be allowed to reopen next Monday.
However due to concerns at the rise in the reproductive rate it’s been pushed back to August 10th.
Denis Leahy – who runs a pub in Tipp Town – says the government has treated them with contempt.
“If they came out on Monday and said the pubs weren’t opening we could have stopped stock coming in. So now we have expense – we have stock coming in which has to be paid for at this late stage.”
“And given what we have gone through up to that – when all the stock went back in fairness to Guinness and Heineken but they can’t continue to do that.”
“I feel bitterly disappointed about the government stalling until last night.”
County Councillor Mark Fitzgerald runs the Thatch Pub in Cloneen.
Speaking on Tipp Today he also highlighted the issue of having ordered in stock with the expectation of opening next Monday.
“A lot of publicans yesterday morning were forced into the decision of going ahead and placing an order. Even myself I began moving barrels into my pub at 8.30 this morning in the knowledge now that I won’t be open for three weeks or maybe longer.”
“The other big issue with this then is that these barrels have to be paid for – so after 7 or 14 days that money comes out of your bank account.”
