Why don't Irish pubs sell snacks?

_Quilombero_

The toasted sambos in Fallons are the business in fairness.

Jim Herring

Some pubs used to have those glass countertop ‘hot nuts’ dispensers, can’t recall seeing those any time recently.

Separately you could ‘Nibble Nobbys Nuts’, not sure if that is still ‘a thing’ though. 🥜

Geuze

This is the sort of thing I'm looking for.

Filled rolls, etc., at democratic prices

The photo below is from 2016, so maybe GBP 2.00 or 2.50 now.

_Quilombero_

Try DisnDat . A pint and a toasted sambo for a tenner. Bargain.

GAAcailin

probably wouldn’t pass health and safety; open unrefrigerated food in a retail setting..

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123053448#Comment_123053448

Yup. Not a chance, here.

Black Sheep

The cobs being sold from the basket look very photogenic… But probably not the best idea for any food to be sold uncovered at the counter in a pub or cafe environment.

Some punter invariably comes along with a cold and sneezes all over them.

"Sneeze guards", dome covers, cabinets etc. don't look the best at times, but they're everywhere for this reason.

The ability to stand over there having being no cross contamination, there being no contaminants present, and provide information on allergens.. Boring stuff, but essential too.

Add up all the regulatory stuff like this and I guess you gradually end up where we are.

wandererz

Pipers Corner on Marlborough Street in Dublin do ham & cheese toasties. If I remember they're put into a toastie bag. Then when someone wants one it goes into a small oven.

I think they also did frozen type pizza's that just needed to go into the oven.

No kitchen staff required, the bar staff do it.

No special requests etc. Just the one toastie option available.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123052035#Comment_123052035

That does look pretty depressing in fairness, if I went to a pub and saw clingfilmed cold rolls sitting at the bar it wouldn't entice me to stay.

littlevillage

I think in Ireland we now have

• GastroPubs which are effectively restaurants with a full pub licence where you sit at a table and get waited on etc. the emphasis is very much on the food though

OR

• Traditional pubs where theres no food at all only crisps.

Or

• What I'll term the 'schleeveen' which is a traditional pub thats get around HSE regulations by having a takeaway or something next door (often owned by the same people and maybe even having a go thru door) and a tacit agreement that regulars can bring in food from there and eat it on the premises.

wandererz

The Strawberry Hall in Dublin does something like the third option.

The owners daughter or family member (so I'm told) runs the Goats Gruff pizza truck in the car park across the road. You can place an order and it will be delivered to your table in the pub.

It's almost as good as my pizzas.

GAAcailin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123053881#Comment_123053881

Have been to Spain a good few times and especially around the North, bars have mini-tapas (pinchos) on the bar - always exposed and open to customers sneezing on top of them etc. You'd have to lean over them to grab your drink when served. T

Different health and safety standards…

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123053881#Comment_123053881

Yes.

I have seen them in cabinets, in other photos.

My question is this: if the UK was in the EU at the time of the photos, therefore what is legal and customary in the UK is not allowed here.

We must have different laws than the UK?

Or, our EHO interpret the same laws differently than the UK?

BeerNut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123054415#Comment_123054415

We have different laws to the UK. There was a whole thing a few years ago about Ireland legalising dogs in pubs, whereas it's an absolutely standard part of pub culture in Britain.

Geuze

Okay, well this is yet another example of where our laws push up costs and prices for consumers here.

Pity.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123054436#Comment_123054436

Yes. I've been in fantastic bar/restaurants in Paris and Portugal that you just know would be instantly shut down here due to space limitations and, probably, other factors.

BeerNut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123054436#Comment_123054436

I don't think that's the case. If an Irish pub wanted to sell pre-made cheese rolls for a couple of euro it wouldn't be difficult to navigate the red tape. But it's not part of our pub culture, so they wouldn't. The main thing that pushes prices up is customers having set expectations and low standards. If a pub offers something different, well, then it's not a proper pub, is it? Sure you wouldn't know what you're getting…

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123051989#Comment_123051989

I think it was Sahara Nuts that pubs stocked in the dispenser units.
I remember the Duke having them back in the day but dunno if still there. Last time I was in the Duke bar was rammed as Six Nations on so didn't get a good look.

https://www.saharanuts.co.uk/

Black Sheep

If a pub wanted to have pre-made food like toasties, rolls, ploughman's platters, charcuterie or whatever Spanish bar food type menu they wanted, I don't see a reason why it wouldn't be do-able? As mentioned above, there are pubs that already do toasties without much fuss, and always have done.

However, they'd have to comply with our food safety standards, not that of Spain or England. Training of staff, use of refrigeration, appropriate information available to customers about ingredients and allergens etc.

Is there a demand? I'm not sure. Crisps and nuts go down well, and I think the other end of the spectrum - full menus, or food brought in, or from a partner on-site - already exists and is catered to.

On food safety standards in general.. I mean, everyone likes to get pinchos on holidays in Spain… But at the same time, in general I'm glad we have the standards we do.

In the UK, I understand the law differs between parts i.e NI vs Scotland vs England and Wales. I suspect they've a lighter touch than us in England and Wales, but tbh who knows... We might have a strong legal and regulatory framework on paper, but you'd wonder how many inspectors there actually are going around, and how much enforcement is followed through on.

Marcusm

When premises started to be inspected by the local authority for food safety!