Let’s go into lockdown to save Christmas says local VFI chairman

(Above) Westmeath VFI chairman Liam Gilleran.

There is an “unspoken fear” among publicans that they won’t reopen this side of Christmas, according to the chairman of the Westmeath branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland.

Like the majority of publicans across Westmeath and the rest of the country, Liam Gilleran closed his popular Mullingar bar on Tuesday night of last week, knowing that it would be at least three weeks before he would be reopening to the public due to the introduction of Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner on Friday, Mr Gilleran admitted there were emotional scenes as his staff were temporarily laid off for the second time in a little more than six months.

“The most heartbreaking thing for us was seeing the guys that work here, they were very upset on Tuesday, there were tears shed.

“They are parents with young families. It’s very real for them.”

While he believes that there is a “lot of merit” in the suggestion from Deputy Robert Troy that the authorities should look at closing off-licences in a bid to reduce infection rates and that restrictions have been unduly hard on the hospitality sector, Mr Gilleran says that it is time for the country to look at the “bigger picture” and that includes the prospect of a full lockdown.

“To be honest, the publicans are behind everyone and anything at this stage. There is a bigger picture than just the publicans – it’s for all of us.

“It [Covid-19] is a killer and can have an ever-lasting effect on people’s lives. We just have to pull together and deal with this in real terms.

“If it means having to close the whole country down for two or three weeks to help the health workers and help everyone concerned, it’s a small sacrifice for the bigger picture.

“We all want to be trading and we all want to remain open. The sad thing about it is that the figures for the pub and hospitality sector are so small, they’re negligible, but it has got to the stage that it is bigger than hospitality. The figures are frightening the way they are going and everyone has to do their bit.

“Everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror and say we have to cop on to ourselves, for everyone concerned. Otherwise we are going to have a very sad Christmas and an even worse 2021. If it means for us to be really tough on this right now, well let’s go and do it and get it out of the way, and we can all have a fantastic Christmas and a better 2021,” he said.