Number of pubs in Offaly fell by eleven since pandemic

A newly-published report on pub closures in Ireland found that the number of pubs trading in Offaly had fallen by eleven since 2019.

The report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) recorded 128 pubs operating in Offaly in 2019, but it said that, as of last year, that number had decreased to 117 pubs.

And it found that, since 2005, Offaly had lost a higher proportion of pubs than most other counties.

The DIGI report showed that 164 pubs had been in business in the county in 2005, and the loss of 47 pubs since then represented a 28.7% shrinkage of Offaly's pub trade.

Economic analysis in the report, by Anthony Foley of the Dublin City University Business School, showed that Offaly had the fifth highest rate of pub closures in the country since 2005, behind Limerick, Roscommon, Cork and Laois.

The DIGI said the decline in the number of pubs across Ireland over the last eighteen years had accelerated since Covid-19.

It stated that, as of last year, there were 6,680 pubs trading in Ireland. This represented a decrease of 457 pubs since 2019, or an average loss of 114 Irish pubs per year in each of the last four years.

The report, entitled The Irish Pub: Supporting Our Communities was published today (Wednesday) by the DIGI, which expressed concern about the "the future sustainability" of many of the small and family-run businesses in the industry.

"The analysis in this report paints a stark picture of a sector that is fighting against continued decline due to a number of significant external pressures – many of which are outside of our control," commented Kathryn D’Arcy, Chair of DIGI, and Corporate Affairs Director at Irish Distillers.

"Ireland's excise on spirits is the third highest in Europe, our excise on wine is the highest in Europe, and our excise on beer is the second highest in Europe.

"We have some of the highest excise duties in the world and the second highest in Europe overall, despite the industry being at the heart of Ireland's tourism sector and its international reputation as a vibrant destination.

"The majority of the almost 2,000 pubs cited in the report which have closed represent the closure of a small or family-run business, the loss of a livelihood and the disappearance of a high-street landmark.

"We must create a sustainable operating environment for the sector and particularly those in more rural parts of the country who are being disproportionately impacted by Government policy."

She said that DIGI was calling on the Government to reduce Ireland's excise duties, saying this would "make an immediate, positive difference to the hundreds of small businesses in our sector struggling to stay open".