20/11/2020

Pubs To Turn On Christmas Lights In Show Of Readiness To Open

Pubs and bars across Northern Ireland and Ireland will simultaneously switch on their Christmas lights at 5pm today, Friday 20 November.

The switch on is part of the #KEEPTHELIGHTSON campaign, which aims to highlight the sectors readiness for a safe reopening. The campaign has been launched by Hospitality Ulster, the LVA and VFI and Guinness Raising the Bar.

Turning on their lights early ahead of the crucial Christmas period not only highlights the place of local pubs in the fabric of society, but also the struggle that publicans, bar-staff and their families are facing in order to keep the lights on.

Their prolonged closure due to Covid-19 enforced lockdowns serves as a physical reminder of the impact that Covid-19 has had not just on the pub-trade and wider hospitality industry but also on communities up and down the country.

The financial impact of Covid-19 pub closures has been hugely significant, with wet-led pubs in Northern Ireland allowed to open for only 4 out of the last 37 weeks after enduring several delays to reopening over the course of the summer. With around 1,200 pubs located across Northern Ireland, all were forced to close again on Friday 16th October and will remain closed until late December.

Pubs in Northern Ireland have put in place a range of measures in order to reopen safely from implementing social distancing, to following the strictest sanitisation protocols, arranging extra staff training, the provision of physical infrastructure such as Perspex screens, increasing signage and using new systems, tools and technology to create safe socialising environments in their outlets.

Liam Reid, Corporate Relations Director of Diageo Ireland said: "The Guinness Raising the Bar fund has already begun supporting pubs with a variety of measures to assist them with safe reopening. This includes over 3,000 outlets who have received reopening essentials kits, with upwards of 87,500 litres of hand sanitiser and 30,000 staff uniforms and 700 outlets who have received items to create safe, weather-proof, outdoor spaces. We have also launched the Raising the Bar Helpline to provide emotional support and financial information to publicans, bar-staff and their immediate families who we know are suffering disproportionately at this time, while they once again wait for the chance to reopen safely."

Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster also said: "Pubs have invested heavily in ensuring their outlets are ready to reopen safely. Whether it's physical infrastructure such as PPE, Perspex screens and hand sanitiser or training for staff we know that they have done the necessary to ensure that pubs can reopen safely alongside other sectors such as retail. Now all that these locals want is the chance to reopen safely on time for Christmas. As part of this joint campaign with the Guinness Raising the Bar fund we hope that the public will also show their support for a safe reopening of their local as we enter a Christmas period that will be decisive in keeping the lights on for pubs in Northern Ireland."

This campaign is being made possible by the €14M Guinness Raising the Bar fund, a two-year programme that has been available since June 2020 to assist pubs in safely reopening.

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

30 April 2021
Shops, Pubs, Restaurants And Gyms Reopen In NI
Shops, pubs, restaurants cafes and gyms have started to reopen today in Northern Ireland after a four-month lockdown. Hospitality business are only able to operate outdoors and limited numbers per table. Curfews on takeaways and off-licences have also been removed.
14 November 2024
New Defence Heritage Record Launched
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has welcomed the launch of a new Defence Heritage Record, a comprehensive resource detailing over 4,500 sites constructed across Northern Ireland in response to World War One and Two, as well as the Cold War.
14 November 2024
Traffic Warning For South Belfast Ahead Of Northern Ireland Match
Road users are advised to plan for potential traffic delays in the south Belfast area on Friday, 15th November due to the UEFA Nations League football match between Northern Ireland and Belarus. The match will take place at Windsor Park, kicking off at 7.45pm, and it is expected that around 18,000 supporters will attend.
14 September 2021
New 'Play Safe, Stay Safe' Awareness Programme Launched
'Play Safe, Stay Safe', a new online construction site awareness programme for primary school children has been launched by Phoenix Natural Gas.
10 November 2020
Talks Continue On Covid Restrictions
Talks on NI's Covid-19 restrictions will continue today, Tuesday 10 November, after the NI Executive failed to reach an agreement yesterday. Ministers failed to agree a next move for the current restrictions, which are due to end this Friday.