Publicans and restaurateur’s in Tipperary say the apparent u-turn by the Government on Covid guidelines has led to even more confusion.
They have also believe many businesses will have lost out on the opportunity to have live music due to the lack of clarity on what was or wasn’t allowed.
The latest guidelines from Fáilte Ireland around organised outdoor events state that venues can now cater for a maximum of 200 people.
Multiple tables can also be booked in an outdoor area, but no intermingling between the tables is permitted.
Live music and performances are permitted in outdoor hospitality settings, subject to adherence with all relevant Covid-19 guidance.
The chairperson of the Vintners Federation in Tipperary says pubs lost out on vital income because of the confusion surrounding guidelines.
Speaking on Tipp Today Richie Gleeson of Gleeson’s bar in Clonmel
said if this detail was known weeks ago it would have made a huge difference to the industry.
“For a lot of places live entertainment was a big thing – not just for our business but obviously for the entertainers themselves. They could have been back with us and playing.”
“I’m sure for a lot of people that offering of being able to do extra entertainment and to take bookings for parties and all the rest of it – which we weren’t allowed to do until this revelation the other day – that would have made a massive difference to a lot of places.”
Joe Ryan run the Whiskey Still Bar and Restaurant in Dromineer.
He says if the Government isn’t sure of the guidelines how are those in the industry supposed to.
His fear is that some will start doing their own thing due to the lack of clarity.
“If you have vintners and restaurant associations trying to get some kind of guidelines for their members and they can’t and everything is done last minute then it’s only a matter of time before some dismiss all this idea that we have to do ‘x’ and they start doing their own thing.”
Meanwhile Mairead Ryan of Paddy’s Bar in Terryglass says the constantly changing guidelines are a major problem.
She cited in incident last weekend where she had to refuse entry for an elderly man last weekend.
“Two people in for their lunch – one man coming from a nursing home – didn’t have his cert and I couldn’t let him inside.”
“I just was not in the better of it all weekend. My head said I can’t let him dine – and I didn’t let him dine – but my heart said I was wrong. And I still feel I was wrong. It wasn’t a busy day because it was very wet – but the rules, the guidelines, the regulations whatever you call them they’re there and I have to abide by them.”
