Good December so far for local hospitality trade

Hot whiskey, Baileys, and Guinness are the big sellers around Mullingar this Christmas, according to local publican Liam Gilleran.

He said this is an important time of year in the life of a publican, as it gets the hospitality industry through some of the quieter weeks at the beginning of the new year.

Thankfully for Mr Gilleran and other local pubs, Christmas got off to a good start in the town. “I think every pub so far has had a good start to December, there’s been lots of parties already,” he said.

“Even the last three weekends we’ve had a touch of the 12 pubs, I prefer them early on rather than late – let’s put it that way. We’re also getting some people who are starting to break off from work for Christmas and coming in for a catch-up.”

The Westmeath Vintners Federation of Ireland chairperson said the craic has been good. “It’s just great fun, anyone who doesn’t enjoy Christmas is a bah humbug! There are too many grinches out there with long pusses on them, I personally love Christmas anyway,” said Mr Gilleran.

“It’s a lot of work, but the buzz is mighty and there is always a feel-good factor to it, maybe it’s the child in me.”

It’s a great time of year to meet friends, he said, but remarked that many local young are unfortunately too far away from home to return this Christmas.

“Pubs years ago used to get lots of people who were off in England for work meeting up in their locals while they were back for the Christmas,” he said.

“You don’t see near as much as that now; they’re all gone much further than England, to the likes of Australia and can’t make it home.

“It’s too far away in the world, but we would see people coming home from New York and other US states in the east. California is still a bit too far.”

Some drinks are more popular than others this time of year. “There’ll be lots of pints of Guinness anyway but you’ll get your Baileys and hot whiskeys too, all the usual suspects this Christmas, said Mr Gilleran.

“They would be our big sellers; people are big on those drinks this time of year, even if they wouldn’t go near them for the rest of the year.”

Mr Gilleran said the increased businesses at Christmas helps manage the weeks ahead. “Every pub does well at Christmas,” he said.

“It gets us through a quieter period that kicks in around the end of January when bills are coming in, the first three weeks of January are never that bad. February then is a write-off, as is the first week of March, it’s a very quite five-week period.

“Then comes St Patrick’s Day and the lights are back on again, happy days! That kick-starts the hospitality industry again for the rest of the year,” said Mr Gilleran.