Kilkenny hospitality needs to make 'full use of its tools' according to local publican

Chairman of the Kilkenny City and County Vintner Federation, Anthony Morrison has told the Kilkenny People it’s ‘very important’ that hospitality makes ‘full use of all its tools’ in 2025, asserting effectively using hotel rooms  previously resided in by people seeking refuge, will have a positive knock-on impact for local pubs as many proprietors  continue to ‘feel the pinch’.

“It's very important that hospitality in 2025 has full use of all its tools going forward to make sure we have the right revenue streams coming in and going to the right places,” he said, admitting 2024 was a ‘struggle’ for many in the sector despite post-Covid improvements.

A report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) released late last year revealed 49 pubs have closed in Kilkenny since 2005 - representing a 21.7% decrease in public houses between the years 2005 and 2023.

“There are just underlying issues with the cost of doing business in Ireland,” Morrison commented.

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“Hospitality, manufacturing, production, we're all feeling the pinch. You have a platter of things going on in the background with the cost of doing business. We (hospitality) are the most regulated trade on the island of Ireland,” he said, claiming there is a ‘multitude’ of tick the box exercises for publicans.

“These are all costing money, nobody does anything for free,” he commented, adding, there is a natural decline in the pub game as a result.

However, despite sector challenges and the usually quiet January, the Christy’s owner is optimistic.

“Have we bounced back from Covid? Yes, but in a different way People have new drinking habits, people have new habits in total.”

“We've bounced back to where I think we can be,” he concluded.