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Killarney entrepreneur and publican launches plan to tackle rising costs in bar trade

Local publican Sean O’Mahony has launched a new start-up company, Licensed Premises of Ireland, which will significantly reduce overheads for publicans as they prepare to re-open after lockdown.

O’Mahony, who runs the popular Faha Court is no stranger to innovation. In the run up Christmas 2019 he launched ‘Social Spin’ a rural volunteer taxi service that transported customers to and from country bars free of charge.

A well-known community activist, he donated his “Social Spin’ car to the Listry Meals on Wheels service while his pub is shut due to the pandemic.

It was during the lockdown that he turned his attention to money saving issues wihin in the pub trade.
He came up with the Licensed Premises of Ireland initiative which he hopes will create 10 new jobs across Ireland.
Licensed Premises of Ireland (LPOI) will provide services designed to reduce the cost of mainstream utilities for customers. The initiative will start by targeting everyday expenses that weigh heavily on licensed premises, including merchant services, cash handling, gas and electricity.
Licensed Premises of Ireland works with individual owners of pubs, restaurants, hotels and nightclubs to analyse their day to day running costs, and use new partnerships to see those costs reduced.
Licensed Premises of Ireland worked with a number of pilot premises during lockdown to identify where value could be achieved, with surprising results.
“It is quite fitting that the company chose to launch a year to the day that public houses and Licensed Premises throughout the country were first close., “ said O’Mahony.
“The bitter pill to swallow during this crisis, is that I was still paying for services even though my business was closed. Once I reviewed the expenditure for my own bar, I was shocked at some of the costs I was paying to be honest, It costs between €250 and €300 per day for a small pub just to open its doors. Unfortunately, I think I became somewhat complacent over the years and stayed with the same providers and suppliers out of pure convenience. We are excited for the future of Licensed Premises of Ireland and know that we can make a positive difference to the future of the licensed trade.”