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Telfer Limited, a firm that is solely owned by publican Declan O’Regan, has applied for planning permission to redevelop a vacant unit that was previously occupied by David Marshall’s hairdressing school in Dublin city centre into a new bar and restaurant.

The unit is located in a building across from Hogans, which is a pub that O’Regan owns. Other hospitality businesses in Dublin operated by O’Regan include Kelly’s Hotel, L’Gueuleton and No Name Bar.

According to Business Post, the plans for the unit formerly occupied by the hairdressing school involve the creation of a new bar that would face onto Fade Street and a basement-level restaurant.

The new venues would be ancillary to the hotel that is currently located on the building’s upper floors and that is also operated by O’Regan.

Hotel Alterations

The plans also involve the creation of a ground floor reception and lobby for the hotel that would open onto South Great George’s Street.

Additionally, some alterations would be made to the building’s first floor to create space for more hotel rooms.

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash

Drinks Ireland has released a seven-point policy priority plan to safeguard the Irish drinks industry as it weathers the COVID-19 crisis.

The seven points of the plan from the Ibec Group, which represents drinks manufacturers, brand owners and distributors on the island of Ireland, are as follows:

Allow Drinks Producers To Continue Manufacturing

Drinks Ireland says that producers should be allowed to continue to operate, as is currently the case, in accordance with relevant protocols, and that the industry should be well-positioned to bounce-back and return to full export value in a very short period, to the benefit of the Irish economy, if it is allowed to continue operating in a scaled-back manner.

Support Exports By Putting Boots On The Ground

Drinks Ireland believes that supporting brands to recover and regain market position and share should be a key priority for government, and that Irish drinks exporters should be supported in rebooting brand marketing and activation in key markets. The group said that central to this should be an ambitious programme of support – of up to 70% – to allow companies to directly and exclusively employ graduate brand ambassadors in key markets for at least 12 months.

Road Map For The Reopening Of The Hospitality Sector

Drinks Ireland is urging policymakers to establish a sectoral working group, which includes representatives from Drinks Ireland and all parts of the hospitality sector, to jointly agree a coherent road map for the reopening of the hospitality sector.

Support Domestic Tourism When Visitor Centres Reopen

Drinks Ireland projects a loss of 70%-80% of visitors to Irish drinks visitor attractions in 2020, with further significant declines expected in 2021 depending on the length of time it takes for international travel and tourism to recover. The group said that, consequently, proactive support and promotion will be required to drive domestic tourism when these attractions do re-open.

Urgent Cash-flow Supports

Drinks Ireland has called for swift action to assist businesses with their cash-flow, including the deferral of all further excise and VAT payments until the crisis has passed, the cancellation of the commercial rate charge for the period of the pandemic, and a guarantee that the current wage subsidy will not be subject to a tax review by Revenue at the end of the year.

Allow For Direct Online Selling To Support The Craft Sector

Drinks Ireland believes that allowing craft producers to sell directly online to the Irish consumer, without minimum volume requirements, would support the sector and would also align Ireland with the majority of other European countries.

Deliver Mutual Tariff Relief

Drinks Ireland is calling on the Irish government to actively propose that the EU seeks to expedite a reciprocal agreement with the US on the elimination of all tariffs applied as a result of recent disputes, as part of a mutually beneficial stimulus response to the COVID-19 economic crisis.

Director Statement

Drinks Ireland director Patricia Callan stated, “The drinks industry, like many other sectors in Ireland’s economy, has been severely impacted by COVID-19. From the on-trade closing, to exports slowing and visitor centres closing, revenue streams are under severe pressure, and it is vital that a range of supports and measures are put in place to support jobs and to allow the sector to continue delivering for the Irish economy.

“The sector is comprised of many small and craft producers, supporting local economies in towns and villages around Ireland, but also large businesses that deliver huge exports and exchequer returns for the country, and who have valuable expertise from operations in export markets to help support the safe re-opening of the hospitality sector here.

“Our industry remains committed to support the national effort to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, which it is doing in many different ways, including through producing sanitising products and making donations to support unemployed bar workers and charities working with more vulnerable groups in our society.”

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

Photo by Pawel Kadysz on Unsplash

Dublin’s l’Ecrivain Restaurant will now remain operational until December 23.

Earlier this year, owners Derry and Sallyanne Clarke announced that they were planning to close the restaurant, which is located on Dublin’s Baggot Street Lower, in July after 31 years of operating it. However, the couple have decided to change the venue’s closing date as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Plan In The Works

The restaurant is currently closed due to the crisis, but Derry Clarke told The Irish Times that a plan is in the works to allow the venue to reopen on June 29 under the government’s programme for reopening the economy, which requires restaurants to “comply with social distancing and strict cleaning protocols”.

The Irish Times quotes Mr. Clarke as saying, “We are lucky in the sense that we have a lot of space, we’re a big restaurant and we have big tables.” However, Clarke stated that it will be difficult to make money if l’Ecrivain cannot operate at capacity, given the overheads involved in the restaurant business.

Clarke added, “I’m looking at getting partitions, masks, hand washing stations and someone on the loos all the time cleaning.”

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has said that Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry is in a state of deepening crisis and, consequently, it requires urgent sector-specific government support.

IHF President Elaina Fitzgerald Kane stated, “The extent of the crisis has been laid bare by [this week’s] government paper examining the impacts of COVID-19. We are now in a fight for survival as an industry, with thousands of businesses facing a catastrophic outlook unless the required supports are provided without further delay.

“Over 90% of hotels have been closed since March, and the majority of the tourism industry’s 260,000 employees were either laid off temporarily or on short time. Yet, 50 days later in what seems like an eternity, there are still no sector specific supports designed to address the unique challenges we face. The employment and business supports announced so far, while welcome, do not go far enough.”

“Decisive Action Is Required”

Fitzgerald Kane added, “Tourism has been a key driver of job growth nationally over the last decade, creating 90,000 new jobs, and, with the right supports, it can play a significant role again in rebuilding the Irish economy in every village, town and city in Ireland. Decisive action is required, and we are calling on the government to introduce a zero tourism VAT rate for 12 months, a waiver on local authority rates and charges until the impact of Covid-19 restrictions has abated and for a minimum of 12 months, as well as targeted liquidity measures to provide working capital for tourism businesses to survive and restart. We are also asking for a continuation of the job subsidy scheme so that businesses can keep their teams together and supported financially until businesses have recovered.”

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

Photo by Diogo Palhais on Unsplash

All food and alcohol serving hospitality businesses including pubs, restaurants, hotels and cafés should be treated the same when it comes to reopening, according to the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA).

The above assertion by the association was in response to reports that cafés and restaurants will be allowed to trade again in “early stage phase two” of the government’s reopening plan, with hotels reopening during the “middle phases” and pubs being kept closed until the plan’s “later phases”.

Pointing to research from Bord Bia that indicates that more food is consumed in pubs than in full service restaurants or cafés, the LVA said that it would be completely discriminatory to allow restaurants or cafés to serve food while pubs were forced to remain shut.

“A Massive Slap In The Face”

LVA chief executive Donall O’Keeffe asserted, “Pubs that serve food should be allowed to reopen at the same time as restaurants or cafés, with the same public health guidelines in place. To ask pubs to remain closed while their competitors down the street are trading would be a massive slap in the face for the entire pub sector. It would also greatly damage the future viability of the industry, putting more jobs at risk of being permanently lost and more premises going out of business for good.

“When it comes to foodservice, there is no reason why pubs can’t operate in the same manner as other types of establishments such as restaurants, hotels or cafés. Food serving pubs have dedicated kitchens, can provide table service and can implement the public health guidelines in the provision of food just as well as any other type of venue. The majority of our members hold restaurant certs and accordingly are licensed restaurants. So we would fully expect them to be allowed to reopen.

“There can’t be a sense that there is one rule for restaurants and another rule for pubs serving food. We would question the thinking behind such provisions and we know it is something that will be fiercely resisted by the entire pub sector in this country. It is the logical first step in reopening the pub trade and should be quickly followed, assuming it is safe to do so, by all pubs being allowed to trade, following the same social distancing guidelines. It is also essential the government provides a clear road map to normalising the economy for all our sakes.”

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

Photo by Gonzalo Remy on Unsplash

Flash Harry’s Bar & Kitchen of the south Dublin suburb of Blackrock has been put up to let via estate agency Lisney’s licensed and leisure division, Morrissey’s.

“A Rare Licensed Premises Leasing Opportunity”

The agency’s website states that “Flash Harry’s offers a rare licensed premises leasing opportunity for an operator to occupy a large turnkey Dublin unit enjoying a high volume food and beverage trade.”

Flash Harry’s is being offered to rent for €85,000 per year.

The property includes a ground floor lounge bar, first floor restaurant seating and basement stores.

View the full article on the Hospitality Ireland website.

International food operator SSP has signed a new 10-year contract to operate 24 food and beverage outlets at Dublin Airport.

SSP will work with Irish brands such as Bretzel Bakery, Camile Thai, Cloud Picker Coffee, Handsome Burger, Offbeat Donuts and 3fe Coffee at the airport.

Sustainability will be a key feature of SSP’s new contract at the airport. The food operator will be focussing on the removal of single-use plastic at its outlets, and using local and certified ingredients in dishes served at the new units.

“Some Really Exciting Irish Concepts”

In a statement on Dublin Airport’s website, the airport’s managing director, Vincent Harrison, said, “Ireland has a thriving food and drink scene, and with this new partnership with SSP, Dublin Airport will be able to offer some really exciting Irish concepts to the travelling public.

“Almost 100,000 passengers use Dublin Airport every day and we want to ensure that our customers have a quality dining experience, with a sense of connectedness to Ireland using fresh and local quality produce.”

Meeting “Diverse Needs”

Meanwhile, SSP UK & Ireland CEO Richard Lewis commented, “We are confident that our bespoke line-up will meet the diverse needs of all of our customers, providing a true Irish experience to the international traveller as well as those looking to enjoy a real taste of home.”

SSP will open 24 units across both landside and airside locations at the airport, and will take over the operations of existing suppliers from this month. Existing suppliers will be rebranded over time to incorporate a mix of Irish and international brands and new concepts.

The new outlets will incorporate the latest technology, including mobile order-at-table services.

News by Hospitality Ireland, edited by Career Vision Recruiters

Working with Bain Capital Credit, Whitbread has acquired a site at Newmarket Square in Dublin 8 on which it is planning to develop a new 151-bedroom Premier Inn hotel.

“A Significant Landmark”

Head of Acquisitions for Premier Inn in Ireland Kevin Murray stated, “Securing the Newmarket site and reaching over 1,000 bedrooms in the pipeline is a significant landmark for us as we aim to be the number one budget hotel chain in Ireland. The site is within an exciting regeneration area and we’re confident it will trade strongly being right across the street from the Teeling Whiskey Distillery and within walking distance of the Guinness Storehouse, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Christchurch.”

“Very Pleased”

Meanwhile, Bain Capital Credit managing director David Cullen commented, “We are very pleased to be partnering with Whitbread to bring a 151-bedroom Premier Inn hotel on stream at Newmarket Square in what is a historic and regenerated part of Dublin. As a multi-sector investor deploying capital efficiently and at scale, we fundamentally believe in the potential of the Irish hotel real estate market and in the inherent sustainability of Dublin’s thriving tourist economy.”

 

News by Hospitality Ireland, edited by Career Vision Recruiters

MGM Resorts International has said that its CEO Jim Murren will step down, and has withdrawn its financial forecast for 2020 as it assesses how the coronavirus epidemic will impact operations.

Wealthy Chinese patronage at Macua and Las Vegas make up a good chunk of business and the virus has clamped down travel and closed companies across China.

MGM said that it suspended operations at its two properties in Macau for a government mandated 15-day period, which started on February 5 to prevent the spread of the infection locally.

MGM added that it was difficult to weigh the fallout of the epidemic on its business as the suspension could be extended and customer traffic could fall further at its properties.

“Although the outbreak has been largely concentrated in China, to the extent that the virus impacts the willingness or ability of customers to travel to the company’s properties in the US, the company’s domestic results of operations could also be negatively impacted,” MGM said.

In Macau, the company said that it is posting approximately $1.5 million in operating expenses daily across both properties, as it kept some non-gaming operations running to support hotel guests.

The epidemic has taken a toll on casino operators as travel restrictions and fear of the virus spreading have led to cancellations of trips in the Far East.

Hopeful There Will Be No Long-Term Impact

“While the coronavirus will clearly have a near-term impact to MGM China, we remain confident that it will not have a long-term impact on our business,” the outgoing CEO said on a post-earnings call with analysts.

Murren, who will step down before completing his contract, will remain CEO and chairman until a successor is named.

Murren, who has been at MGM since 1998, has been chairman and CEO since 2008.

News by Reuters, edited by Career Vision Recruiters.

Dublin City Council has approved plans for an extension of Dublin’s Clarence Hotel which will increase the venue’s room count from 59 to 115.

The hotel’s operator, Brushfield, has been granted permission to build an interconnection between the hotel and the adjoining Dollard House, where 56 new bedrooms will be constructed. The new rooms will be located on Dollard House’s three upper floors.

“A Very Positive Outcome”

The Irish Times quotes consultants for Brushfield as saying, “This proposed development seeks to make use of the under-utilised building in a prime tourist area and would represent a very positive outcome in that it adds tourist bedrooms within the city centre, but also will make the Clarence Hotel more sustainable and viable.”