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17th Jun 2020

#Covid-19: Pubs can reopen if serving ‘substantial’ meal of at least €9

Jade Hayden

But seven packs of bacon fries only costs €8.95!

Pubs can reopen again if they serve a “substantial” meal costing at least €9.00, according to Fáilte Ireland.

New guidelines being prepared detail that pubs will be permitted to reopen at the beginning of Phase Three on June 29 if they are in accordance with the new rule.

According to the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962, a “substantial” meal is: “such as might be expected to be served as a main midday or evening meal or as a main course in either such meal.”

RTÉ News reports that Fáilte Ireland has received a guidance document from the Protection Surveillance Centre and will continue to liaise with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to work through guidelines prior to the beginning of Phase Three.

It is also expected that some pubs and restaurants may be able to reduce the two metre social distancing rule currently in place to one metre.

The draft document, ‘Covid-19: Guidance for Food Service Businesses’, states that in certain circumstances some premises may be able to operate with social distancing measures of just one metre apart instead of two.

However, if implemented there could be a maximum stay time of 90 minutes per customer. Pre-booking would also be essential.

Fáilte Ireland’s guidelines concerning the reopening of pubs are expected to be published in the coming days.