Hundreds of rural pubs face the threat of closure this winter over their exclusion from the Government’s Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme because the premises are not connected to the natural gas pipeline.
That's according to the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland who say pubs that use kerosene and LPG gas to heat their premises should be allowed join the scheme and claim supports.
Under the current scheme pubs can claim back 40% of the rise in winter energy costs however pubs using energy sources other than natural gas or electricity are precluded from the scheme
The VFI says this will lead to the exclusion of 1,500 pubs.
Speaking to RedFM News, Michael O'Donovan of the VFI in Cork says most rural pubs are not connected to the natural gas pipeline and the situation facing pubs is so dire this winter that
if energy supports are not granted to these businesses some may be forced to close:
"We have been asking since the start of October, unfortunately, it's fallen on deaf ears and the knock on effect as kerosene is now costing somewhere in the region of 1.30 a litre and if we go back to this time last year, it was 60c a litre so publicans are under extreme pressure. I was taking in 1000 litres of kerosene every six to seven weeks. So, the costs of associated with us a huge increase in business. A fellow publican he's talking about closing a couple of days a week just to try and make ends meet."
