Closing Time: Death Of The Irish Pub

New figures show a dramatic fall in the number of pubs in Ireland in recent years, leading to some representatives claiming that the very survival of the traditional rural pub is under threat.

According to statistics from the Revenue Commissioners, the number of pub licenses has dropped by 1,300 over the past five years.

Most of the closures have been in Cork, Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and Limerick.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland, which represents bar owners outside of Dublin, said below cost selling of alcohol by supermarkets, stricter drink-driving laws and the smoking ban were to blame.

VFI president Gerry Mellet said cheap alcohol in supermarkets had "broken the back" of the pub industry because they could never compete with prices.

"When you combine this with stricter drink driving regulations and the smoking ban, we are making it increasingly difficult for people to socialize."

There were still 7,616 pub licenses in Ireland in 2010 but this was down from 8,922 in 2005.

Mr Mellett said the closures were disrupting social and community life particularly in rural Ireland.

"In many areas the pub functions as an important community focal point, and provides a great social hub for many people," he said.

The Licensed Vintners Association, which represents pubs in Dublin, said the pub sector was in crisis in Ireland.

LVA president Donal O'Keeffe, who is also head of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland said the decline was a "meltdown" for the sector.

He said while the drinks market as a whole had improved in 2010, the on-trade in pubs and hotels had crashed by 15%.

He said bar sales had fallen by more than 25% in the past decade.