LAST ORDERS… Local publican Fearghal Shannon and Phil Flanagan MLA are unhappy about the closing times at Easter
A PUBLICAN in Fermanagh has described a loss of close to 50% during the Easter period as a result of licensing laws that have continued to plague pub owners across the North.
The laws, which force early closing of bars over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Easter period insist on Thursday closure at midnight; Good Friday, at 11pm; Easter Saturday, at midnight; and Easter Sunday, at 10pm.
Feargal Shannon of the Crowe’s Nest, Enniskillen, described how his turnover was adversely affected by the laws.
“Everything went great up until Friday,” he explained, “Obviously, we knew what was coming and staffed it accordingly which meant part time bar staff lost at least two shifts each and then, obviously, our turnover was down about 50% as a result of losing our two key nightclub nights.”
Mr Shannon admitted that during the day was ‘very busy’, but that this ‘would have carried on into the night-time trade if people could do the normal thing’.
“Instead, they stayed at home or went outside of the area for their nights out. We would hope that things will change for next year.
“As a tourist location, we need normal opening hours to attract people in for the weekend. I know of a stag party that arrived in the province on Friday not knowing the situation, and they were bitterly disappointed!”
Sinn Fein MLA, Phil Flanagan confirmed that a number of pub owners he had spoken to ‘lost out on considerable trade’.
“The legislation dealing with liquor licensing is completely out of date and is in urgent need of reform. The Minister (Nelson McCausland) with responsibility for this matter is failing in his duties to deal with this issue.”
Mr Flanagan recalled that a public consultation exercise was carried nearly two years ago to find out what people thought about changing the permitted opening hours of pubs across the north. To date, he said, there had been no progress made.
But, he excused the PSNI from blame. (“They are only implementing the legislation that is in place.”)
“Publicans are angry. It is an extremely hard time to run a licensed premises with the cost of doing business soaring and people’s spending power being squeezed.”
He said he would be raising the matter in the Assembly.
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