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New limits and restrictions have come in on the sale of alcohol, with off-licenses now being forced to close at 10pm.
I’m currently managing a bar in Co. Dublin and I’m still not 100% certain how it will affect us directly. We don’t run a separate off-license outlet but we do sell cans of beer and nagans/shoulders of spirits from the bar for take-away. I’m presuming the new law will apply there meaning we will no longer be able to do it after 10pm although I don’t see any specific mention of bars in what I’ve read about the new laws - only off-licenses.
I’m not sure if this new restriction is supposed to actually HELP pubs (encouraging people to go to the pub to drink instead of stocking up at the offie and drinking at home) but it certainly won’t help our business if we have to comply with it considering most of our ‘take-out’ trade takes place at the end of the night.
[UPDATE] Just got word back from the bar owner who consulted his “very epensive solicitor”. I was right, of course,- we can’t sell anything for take-out after 10pm. Darnit…
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3 Responses to “Early doors”
Mad Mad Mad Mad!!!! They are all Mad!
It kind of caught us ‘on the hop’ as it were, as we innocently didn’t realise it applied to us, what with all the news reports specifically saying “off licenses” - but the bill itself includes the words “whether or not it is an on-license or off-license attached to the premises“… so I have the signs made up and they go up this evening, saying:
“Notice: It is illegal to purchase intoxicating liquor here after 10.00pm for the purposes of consumption off the premises.”
As if pubs aren’t doing badly enough, there goes our perfectly sensible end-of-the-night off-sales trade now, where customers bought a few cans on their way out the door. It actually kinda helped in encouraging them to leave. Ah well…
I was in Malmo in Sweden several years ago and the off licenses closed at 6pm on a Saturday. Not sure about other days but I presume it was the same. Ordinary shops closed on Saturdays at 3pm.
Couldn’t believe it at the time.