Thousands of pubs are set to benefit from new outdoor service supports which will help equip premises so they can better cater for customers.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, today (Friday) confirmed that a new scheme has been agreed to assist bars and pubs that do not have a food offering to enhance their outdoor seating capacity and weatherproof service areas. 

The move will further help enhance ‘European-style’ outdoor hospitality facilities and services, following an earlier grant which was targeted at food-serving premises.

“The Outdoor Service Enhancement Scheme will provide much needed assistance to businesses who in many cases been unable to open since March 2020,” Minister Martin said. 

“Our pubs and bars are an important social outlet and a popular element of our tourism and hospitality offering. Along with the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme businesses will receive assistance to transform appropriate outdoor spaces as welcoming vibrant places helping businesses to recover and people to return to work. This scheme is a further illustration of the Government’s stated commitment to support tourism and hospitality in the journey to recovery for the sector.

“There have been other very effective supports in place, including the EWSS, CRSS and the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme for strategic tourism businesses. Government has confirmed there will be no cliff edge in supports and we will consider sector specific supports as needed for the recovery of tourism and hospitality as part of the National Economic Recovery Plan.”

Previously the Minister and Fáilte Ireland had launched the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme which is currently being delivered in partnership between Fáilte Ireland and Local Authorities across the country. Minister Martin, in consultation with Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD, has now secured cooperation from local authority representatives who will again partner with Fáilte Ireland in the delivery of this scheme.

In broad terms the new Outdoor Service Enhancement Scheme will aim to assist eligible businesses to enhance their outdoor service offering. The aim is to support jobs and businesses that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. It is expected that eligible pubs will be able to apply for up to €4,000 each, a similar amount which is being given to food-serving businesses. All applicants will be required to comply with planning codes, legislative requirements and other compliance requirements. Details will be finalised in the days ahead.