{"id":25905,"date":"2022-04-15T13:42:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T17:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25905"},"modified":"2022-04-18T08:45:28","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T12:45:28","slug":"easing-of-easter-drinking-restrictions-in-the-north-boosts-local-bar-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25905","title":{"rendered":"Easing Of Easter Drinking Restrictions In The North Boosts Local Bar Trade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Suzi Magee serves a pint at the Sunflower pub in Belfast, as pubs can now serve alcohol as normal over the Easter bank holiday period in the North (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lifting restrictions on Easter drinking in Northern Ireland has served up a massive boost to the local pub trade as it rebuilds after the pandemic, one bar owner has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes to the licensing laws in the North mean pubs and bars can open as normal this Easter after decades of limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously on Good Friday, alcohol was only able to be served between 5pm and 11pm in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Licensed premises also had to stop serving at midnight on Easter Thursday and Holy Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those curbs were lifted by the Licensing and Registration of Clubs Act passed in the Assembly last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some churches have expressed concern at the move

Kauf von Levaquin<\/a><\/div> , it has been broadly welcomed by the hospitality sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Industry representatives have said the relaxations are timely, given the financial hardships experienced during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pedro Donald, owner of the Sunflower Public House in Belfast, said the change was a long time coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working with pubs nearly 40 years and it\u2019s been talked about since day one, my day one,\u201d he told the PA news agency. \u201cSo, yeah, it\u2019s a massive, massive, massive change and long overdue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis weekend, for example, we\u2019ve gigs booked in, we\u2019ve a birthday party booked in, with another event on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut previous Easters none of those things would have happened, people would have just gone elsewhere or done other things or stayed at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s come at a good time because we\u2019ve missed the last two Easters completely with the pandemic, so to bounce back now with the changes is great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friends Jordan Gilvear, from Wales, and Adam Goligher, from Co Antrim, were taking advantage of the relaxed laws to enjoy an afternoon pint on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Gilvear, who is from Cwmbran originally, was surprised to hear about the previous rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just thought this was normal every day running,\u201d he said after ordering a pint at the Sunflower. \u201cSo, it\u2019s quite nice to have a pint at this time of day over here. It\u2019s quite nice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said the restrictions had cost the industry millions of pounds every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe hospitality sector is really thrilled to finally be celebrating the Easter bank holiday the way we should have been for many years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a time when family and friends come together, and we are delighted to be able to offer them a glass of wine with lunch, a pint with friends, or a night out over the long weekend without restrictions and limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe changes to the licensing hours will give customers more choice and provide the sector with the opportunity to trade when previously they couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt will also allow us to showcase Northern Ireland\u2019s brilliant hospitality offer to those tourists from oversees who previously were at a loss when visiting and couldn\u2019t access the full range of our famed pubs and restaurants over the Easter break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe outdated laws of the past stifled the sector, seeing millions of pounds of trade lost every year. This weekend is a really proud moment for the industry and Hospitality Ulster who have steadfastly campaigned for these changes and will get to hopefully reap the returns following the most difficult two-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is our hope that this Easter weekend will be a real turning point for our hospitality sector and will be the real boost needed on the road to recovery for business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe look forward to welcoming customers back over the bank holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n

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