Covid-19 in Ireland: restaurants, bars and hotels to reopen 29th June
On Friday the 5th June last the Irish Government announced an accelerated programme for the re-opening of business in Ireland following the outbreak of Covid-19. The dates originally set out in the Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business that restaurants and hotels (but not hotel bars) would re-open in July and pubs and all bars in August 2020. This plan has now been changed by the Irish Government to bring the dates forward, welcome news for those in the hospitality industry.
The current accelerated plans are to open restaurants, hotels and bars that serve food on the 29th June 2020. Normal and non essential retail shops can re-open today where access is possible at street level and measures have been implemented to maintain social distancing in the shops. Shopping centres reopen on the 15th June where measures are in place to prevent the congregation of members of the public at any points in the centre e.g. foodhalls.
In the case of bars, hotels and restaurants the current obligation on operators is to maintain a distance of two-metres between customers and provide table service only. There are indications that this distance will be reduced to one-metre in the near future if the “R” number of the Covid-19 virus remains below 1 following the easing of restrictions.
Bars and pubs wishing to serve food, and restaurants wishing to sell beer, legally require a Restaurant Certificate. This is a certificate granted in the District Court which attaches to a existing pub licence or a wine retailers on-licence. An application must be made on notice to an Garda Siochana. Following Covid-19, the Court will require a floor plan setting out the dining layout for the premises detailing compliance with the regulations for social distancing.
As specialist licensing solicitors in Dublin, MP Moloney is ready to assist with any bar business seeking to open on on the basis of food service and where necessary to assist with the application for a restaurant certificate. CONTACT US today and we will help get you business open and compliant.