‘My priority was the safety of customers and staff’
As 'wet pubs' across Meath prepare to open next week, one Navan publican is preparing to reopen next Wednesday, despite being entitled to open last June.
Ryan's pub in Navan will open its doors again on 23rd September having been closed for over six months.
The popular Trimgate Str pub would have been entitled to reopen when other pubs that served food opened, but proprietor, Michael Ryan decided against it.
“My priority was the safety of customers and staff. We are here in Trimgate St for over 20 years and some of those staff have been with me for the better part of those 20 years, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them.
“I decided not to open until I was 100 per cent sure of what was going to happen.
“We only serve food until 4pm and I didn't want to go jumping on the bandwagon serving food brought in from somewhere else.
“All our food is cooked on site. When we open, the food will be pretty much the same as before. We are doing what we are good at.
“People can expect the same top class quality and service. We will have full sanitisation and will abide by the new rules and regulations.
“We have everything in place. All our staff have had full professional training regarding Covid-19 precautions and we are ready to go.”
Ryan's has been closed since the Saturday before St Patrick's day.
“We were supposed to close at 6pm on the Sunday, but when I saw what was happening, I decided it was safer not to open that day,” he said.
Last week a new draft document on the reopening of wet pubs was sent out to publicans with information on how they will be allowed to operate when they reopen.
Measures outlined in the 25-page guidance document drawn up by the Government, in conjunction with Failte Ireland, include bans on counter service and people sitting at bars.
It states that social distancing must be observed at all times with no more than six people from three different households allowed at each table but pre-booking and time-limited slots will not be required if a physical distance of 2m can be maintained.
Customers will be limited to a 105-minute stay in premises where the one metre measure is in operation.
Customers must leave a wet pub by 11.30pm, meaning late bars and nightclubs will probably remain closed.
Strict queuing systems for the toilets must be introduced and pubs are urged to discourage the use of cash for transactions.
Staff must record and retain the details of one person in each group of customers for 28 days for Covid-19 contact tracing purposes.