Publicans want 15% levy on off licence sales....

maryishere · 11-05-2014 01:01PM

afewyea

rubadub wrote: »

A centra near me does heineken 20 for €15, 75cent a bottle, there is no way a convenience store engages in the below/at cost selling model for beer which presumes/hopes for a weekly shop. It can be €5.50 in city centre pubs for this, 7.3 times the price, my mate is a barman and the owner buys lots of beer in supermarkets (which is perfectly legal).

something else not quite right in this economy. It should not be cheaper (per bottle) for an ordinary person to buy 6 bottles of beer cheaper in a well lit prime location shop than a bar person can buy say 1000 bottles from a wholesaler.

Regarding pubs, time they brought down their prices. Of course all the taxes here have a lot to do with it ....rates, income taxes, vat, usc, corporation tax, taxes on electricity, waste and water and pub licences. By drinking in pubs you are funding the lifestyles and pensions of many. So you should really drink in pubs. But in the summer its much more fun and cheaper to do wehat we done in Oz when I worker there a few years ago - grab a few tinnies and bottles for the Barbie after work.

Idbatterim · 11-05-2014 01:11PM

The offers on booze seem to be nowhere near as good as a few years ago, a crate now is what E28 on coors, heineken etc? I am meant to be believe that is below cost for the likes of tesco, supervalu etc with their massive purchasing power? Give me a break! Roll on Weatherspoons, cant wait to see the pricing and potential impact.

Senna · 11-05-2014 01:13PM

Local pub in Donegal decided to drop all prices (pints €3, short and dash €3) would normally be €4 a pint or so. The pub attracted the scumiest or the scum, closed the doors about a year later. Maybe not a great example but I know it's one reason why a local pub here wouldn't considder dropping prices by a huge amount compaired to the compition.
The VFI need to look at solutions at local levels, not this lobbying that ultimately leads to nothing, but the VFI are the most useless shower of ***** I've ever has the misfortune of dealing with.

11-05-2014 01:17PM

Senna wrote: »

Local pub in Donegal decided to drop all prices (pints €3, short and dash €3) would normally be €4 a pint or so. The pub attracted the scumiest or the scum, closed the doors about a year later. Maybe not a great example but I know it's one reason why a local pub here wouldn't considder dropping prices by a huge amount compaired to the compition.
The VFI need to look at solutions at local levels, not this lobbying that ultimately leads to nothing, but the VFI are the most useless shower of ***** I've ever has the misfortune of dealing with.

Then kick them out. Some pubs here have dropped to 3.50 and when trying to sort a cheap night out that's where we'll go. There's a place in Dublin with pints for 3.40 and I've yet to see any hassle or thought there was potential hassle.

Idbatterim · 11-05-2014 01:19PM

the thing is E4 is reasonable by any standards IMO. My local pub in a suburb charges E5.50 a pint, its E6 in a lot of places in Dublin. Anything sub E5 or low 5's would be fine AFAIC, for around here I mean...

The J Stands for Jay · 11-05-2014 01:44PM

If they are selling booze below cost they must be increasing their prices elsewhere. Or maybe they make more money by getting more people in the door to buy stuff at normal prices. Maybe that could somehow be applied to pubs.....

jank · 11-05-2014 01:51PM

Well nothing will get the libertarian out of an Irish person than a powerful lobby asking for price controls on alcohol.

B0X · 11-05-2014 02:14PM

mikeym wrote: »

The pubs that are struggling need to up their game.

Introduce a happy hour or have cheap pints during big matches such as 6 Nations Rugby games or Premiership Matches.

This is illegal unfortunately. If you're changing the price of your drinks during the day they can only go up.

11-05-2014 02:23PM

jank wrote: »

Well nothing will get the libertarian out of an Irish person than a powerful lobby asking for price controls on alcohol.

Libertarian or lefty, obviously the only 2 possibilities.

jank · 11-05-2014 02:44PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Libertarian or lefty, obviously the only 2 possibilities.

I just find it amusing that people would be raging about the VFI trying to control the alcohol market, yet this is what such state power and intervention into a market leads to.

Jester252 · 11-05-2014 02:53PM

Publicans can pressure the government for what they want just like any group of people. I just hope that the government doesn't roll over and give into them.

MadYaker · 11-05-2014 03:02PM

I've always wondered how groups like the VFI have such leverage over the government. What have they got that can use to convince the government to listen to them?

11-05-2014 03:15PM

jank wrote: »

I just find it amusing that people would be raging about the VFI trying to control the alcohol market, yet this is what such state power and intervention into a market leads to.

Of course you find it amusing. You find anyone with opinions containing any kind of nuance threatening and so you either attack or laugh at them or construct some kind of strawman rubbish argument and maybe get a "stupid paddys" bit in as well.

jank · 11-05-2014 03:21PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Of course you find it amusing. You find anyone with opinions containing any kind of nuance threatening and so you either attack or laugh at them or construct some kind of strawman rubbish argument and maybe get a "stupid paddys" bit in as well.

When did I ever say Paddy's were stupid?

On the topic at hand do you disagree or agree with the VFI looking for levies on alcohol purchased outside of pubs. Isn't this an example of a powerful lobby using the state to interfere into the alcohol market on its behalf to the detrement of the consumer.

11-05-2014 03:32PM

jank wrote: »

When did I ever say Paddy's were stupid?

On the topic at hand do you disagree or agree with the VFI looking for levies on alcohol purchased outside of pubs. Isn't this an example of a powerful lobby using the state to interfere into the alcohol market on its behalf to the detrement of the consumer.

Your lol-paddies-and-drink thing earlier was the usual. Along with your constant bashing of anything to do with Ireland, your attempts to justify anything bad in Australia or the US by bringing up something irrelevant in Ireland and general paddy-bashing at any opportunity. It's pretty tiresome.

It's an example of a powerful lobby seeking to use the state. Bit of a difference. Of course if I don't want the state to do one thing then it means I must not want them to interfere in anything at all and am therefore a libertarian apparently.

jank · 11-05-2014 03:50PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Your lol-paddies-and-drink thing earlier was the usual. Along with your constant bashing of anything to do with Ireland, your attempts to justify anything bad in Australia or the US by bringing up something irrelevant in Ireland and general paddy-bashing at any opportunity. It's pretty tiresome.

You don't think that Ireland does not have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol? What I said was said in jest. Irish people normally are not the most libertarian bunch but when it comes to the price of alcohol then everyone is the first cousin of Milton Friedman. However, I never said Irish people were stupid, that is offence in your head.

In regards bashing Ireland. Can you point me to more pointed examples of this as I am genuinely curious. In my opinion I am continuously defending the place from the resident 'We can't do anything right us Irish' crowd here on AH. So paddy bashing is in your head, unless you can of course point me to multiple examples.

Deleted User wrote: »

It's an example of a powerful lobby seeking to use the state. Bit of a difference. Of course if I don't want the state to do one thing then it means I must not want them to interfere in anything at all and am therefore a libertarian apparently.

All lobbies seek to use the state for their own betterment. That is of course the point of a lobby, to eh.. lobby. The VFI have been very successful in this in years gone past.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/under-their-influence-ff-gang-killed-mcdowells-cafe-bar-idea-25958987.html

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan was particularly blatant in her objections. In a letter, written on Department of Agriculture notepaper, Ms Coughlan said that after meeting with vintners in her constituency, she believed there was "absolutely no support" for the cafe bars proposal.

The chairman of the Commission on Liquor Licensing, Gordon Holmes, said that self-interest and the influence of publicans over TDs had brought down the cafe bars plan

Ahh, don't you love democracy in action.

So in essence you are more libertarian than you think, especially when it comes to the price of a six pack. Funny that.

shruikan2553 · 11-05-2014 04:29PM

2 bottles in a pub, biggest one was 330ml. 5.20 for one and 4.70 for the other. Maybe they need to look at there own prices before commenting on others.

Amirani · 11-05-2014 04:50PM

mikeym wrote: »

Introduce a happy hour or have cheap pints during big matches such as 6 Nations Rugby games or Premiership Matches.

That would be illegal.

11-05-2014 05:02PM

Diego Simeone wrote: »

That would be illegal.

Not if they fix the price in the morning and only put it up rather than down.

Also a pub I drink in sometimes give free pints during matches, for instance free pint for everyone if Ireland score a goal etc.

darkpagandeath · 11-05-2014 05:26PM

Oh dear were off again... Do I have to dig out the figures proving Ireland does not have this made up alcohol problem ? We are in the middle in Europe for alcohol consumption. Yet we are the 2nd most expensive country to purchase alcohol only behind Finland. It does amuse me Anti alcohol shouting about cheap booze causing this issue. I don't know were they are buying this cheap booze but it's Not in the same shops/pubs that I buy booze in. There is a percentage yes that have problems with alcohol abuse just like every other European country no amount of tax/price increases will stop them drinking, they would go without food before their drug of choice. The only person effected is You Me the general consumer that has no problem.

suicide_circus · 11-05-2014 05:28PM

The vintners can shove it up their holes. Shower of pricks.

twinytwo · 11-05-2014 05:34PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Question: Why is it that Dublin pubs are so much more expensive than country ones? I mean surely pubs in a city like Dublin are getting more traffic than pubs out in the middle of the country, so how can it possibly make any sense that the Dublin sometimes charges over €1.50 more for a pint?
Seriously we're talking about the difference between a €3.50 pint in some places and a €5.20 one in Dublin. What's up with that?

Rates have a huge thing to do with prices as well. Some of the rates places are paying a complete joke, not just city pubs. One of the hotels in cork for example pays 400k in rates a year to the city council.. And that's before wages,light and heat, insurance etc are even looked at

tayto lover · 11-05-2014 05:39PM

We should build a "Wailing Wall" in the middle of every town and village for publicans to cry at.

No Pants · 11-05-2014 05:40PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

we are the 2nd most expensive country to purchase alcohol only behind Finland.

€10 a pint in Norway.

tayto lover · 11-05-2014 05:41PM

No Pants wrote: »

€10 a pint in Norway.

Much higher wages.

darkpagandeath · 11-05-2014 05:43PM

No Pants wrote: »

€10 a pint in Norway.

I'm sure some places In Norway have that price, But don't let that stop you muddying the waters. Overall Ireland is 2nd most expensive in Europe. I'm sure if i goto some men's club or casino here i could find similar prices.

anncoates · 11-05-2014 05:43PM

MadYaker wrote: »

I've always wondered how groups like the VFI have such leverage over the government. What have they got that can use to convince the government to listen to them?

It's a sizeable business lobby.

Plus the parish pump aspect: in rural communities you can bet the publicans will have the ear of the local politician.

anncoates · 11-05-2014 05:44PM

No Pants wrote: »

€10 a pint in Norway.

Far higher wages, I think

mikemac1 · 11-05-2014 05:46PM

anncoates wrote: »

Plus the parish pump aspect: in rural communities you can bet the publicans will have the ear of the local politician.

A fair chance a publican is the local politician!

Banjo String · 11-05-2014 05:53PM

No Pants wrote: »

€10 a pint in Norway.

80c in some bars in Portugal.

Publicans want 15% levy on off licence sales....

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