Opening of "No-Food" pubs pushed out again

Russman wrote: »

I'm sure some are safer than others, but to say anyone who suggests that a relatively poorly ventilated space, with people in close proximity, consuming alcohol, might not be safe in the midst of this pandemic, given what we know about the spread of it, is deluded and clearly has it in for pubs is surely a bit off the wall.

Any thoughts as to why most European governments have closed bars and indoor dining ?

Any thoughts as to why most European governments allowed all restaurants and pubs to open throughout the summer without having significantly higher infection rates than us - the only country to keep the pubs closed?
Or why our own figures show no appreciable worsening of the pandemic during the first month after restaurants and food pubs opened in June? (versus a 50% increase in the three weeks after schools opened at the end of August).
Anyone who keeps insisting that the alcohol is the primary factor in spreading covid despite absolutely zero evidence to this effect is clearly deluded and has it in for pubs.

Gosh_idiots wrote: »

I think you'd be fooling yourself thinking that most pubs will abide by the restrictions to the point they wouldn't cause an issue. Yes, some might.. But many won't. Every time the country starts to open up again the pubs are jammed to the rafters. Drunk people don't have the same mentality and same boundaries attached as when they're sober and who's going to enforce the guidelines in every pub in the country? You can expect door staff to be everywhere at once, can't rely on people to social distance themselves, can't expect the guards to be in every pub in the country and the bar staff definitely can't do it! While it could be said of any business its obvious alcohol is a major factor in the spread of covid.

I don't know where all these pubs jammed to the rafters are. Nearly all the ones around me have strict limits on numbers and everyone is well behaved. I can think of one, maybe two, which have been open for most of the time, have blatantly flouted the takeaway drinks rules, and anecdotally have been wedged. But since they serve food they've been mostly open. I wouldn't shed any tears if they were shut down, but I've seen the guards show zero interest in them - there's probably a retired superintendent who owns the pubs.

There's also at least three I reckoned back in April would be safe spots when they reopened - older crowd, spacious, well ventilated, one has a huge beer garden and was proactively implementing a lot of the safety requirements even before they closed in March. But since they don't do food, they never reopened. Probably never will.

So instead of allowing all pubs to open with the same restrictions, time limits, etc, and punishing the ones that break that, the genius solution is to arbitrarily make a distinction that permanently closes hundreds which have done nothing wrong and actually rewards the ones which work around the rules.

Looking forward to the ban on private cars, because of the small number of people who drink and drive.

If its not in pubs its house parties at home. It's so sad and devastating to many business owners up and down the country but leaving pubs and restaurants open.. Where people can mingle.. Is obviously gonna add to an upsurge in cases.

I've been disturbed by more house parties nearby during the lockdowns than in total during the five years I've lived in this apartment. How do you think contact tracing works there?
Bunch of people go out to a pub or restaurant following the rules, there's no incentive for them not so share details if one of them later tests positive.
You think somebody who had a house party is going to say "ah yeah I had ten mates over the weekend before I tested positive, here's all their contact details?"
They are in me arse. The notion that people aren't mingling any when pubs and restaurants are shut is ridiculously naive. Except with zero controls.

Russman wrote: »

Maybe we could have opened in the summer, maybe we should have opened, but here's the thing, we didn't. That doesn't mean its ok to open now.

Our own figures were increasing during the summer but from a very low base. I agree it really kicked off at the end of August, whether that's just the nature of epidemics or due to the schools, I've no idea.

I don't think anyone is suggesting alcohol is the primary factor in the spread. People congregating and mixing is the factor and pretty much the only factor. Contact tracing doesn't go back far enough to catch where most cases were seeded anyway.

But sure look, maybe most of the public health experts and virologists around the world are wrong and its all a dastardly plan to hammer pubs and not get any tax revenue from the thousands of closed venues. Mind you I'd have thought governments would have come up with something simpler if they wanted to get at publicans.

It's quite to clear to most that the anti-alcohol lunatic is not in government.

First pub closed for non compliance with food regulations despite repeated warnings from Gardai. Somewhere in the North West,odds on it's Ireland's most lawless county Donegal.

ShineOn7 wrote: »

"escape"?

If you need to "escape" the house then go for a lovely wander in the fresh air, you'll feel great after it

Not in a poorly ventilated Pub where the rules are most likely being flouted

Again, the only word that comes to mind seeing some moaning over the pubs is desperation. And I don't get it at all

This not a normal year nor a normal Christmas

Some need to get that written on T shirts as presents this year

Great idea for a T shirt. 'I survived Covid 19 in 2020"

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/crime/first-premises-given-closure-order-by-gardai-due-to-persistent-failure-to-serve-substantial-meals-39889001.html

How come these places are not being named? Is it to give them a chance to appeal or what?

retalivity wrote: »

I was in the pub last Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday. It was great. Drinking cans sitting in with your OH is not comparable to sitting in having a few pints with them and family and friends in front of a fire.
Having this Stasi bollocks of wanting pubs named, shamed and closed down as the tables weren't more than 2m apart or their sandwiches weren't of a sufficient length or whatever the latest advice from nphet is, can go and sh1te.

Damn health and safety standards its ruining the pubs