Why would Forde address the chamber of commerce about running pubs, which Heineken does not do, instead of about producing and distributing beer, which Heineken does do??
Couldn’t be a diversion tactic could it? - avoiding the issue of why pints of Heineken are still so outrageously expensive, often at over 4 euros a pint (despite being more than 95% water).
What Forde and his competitors need to do is DROP their prices, not distract from the issue by whingeing about bank lending.
Pubs would not need to shut during the week if pints were reasonably charged at under 3 euros.
Reducing tax will help, but so too will drinks companies bosses sticking to what they know and working harder to give the public a fairer deal.
I’m not a bit sorry for publicans.
The pub “experience” is not a pleasant one. Overpriced booze, badly served, charmless service, uncomfortable surroundings, lack of hygiene.
What was a cash cow was ruthlessly milked by publicians, accountants etc etc
Personally I’d get more pleasure staying at home watching Sky News. 
Well that seals it, we’re moving out of recession into depression …
Blue Horseshoe
There are some great pubs in Dublin, there are alot of crap ones.
The good ones in the city centre will survive… Same old story really…
Again, deregulation of the licensing would do alot to improve the issues you allude to above but that’s a different day’s work, VFI will certainly have their hooks as deep into FG as they would be in FF.
I had two lovely scoops watching the Duds in Smyth’s Ranelagh over the weekend, good pub with atmosphere and good mix of clientele, or so it seemed from my brief visit.
Now is the perfect time to deregulate, given the opportunity to build from a sustainable base, not that I sense the slightest appetite for this from any quarters.
Heino man should be watching his offy sales, having been hammered by Carlsbergs’ oneser a tin offer in O’Brien’s for the first half of 2010. I hope any ‘fizzy water’ drinkers from round these parts availed.
Reasons I rarely go to the pub anymore
- Prices (there’s a premium to drink in a pub but its just got outta hand)
- for the most part a shit atmosphere and shit music
- I hate the likes if Carlsberg, Heineken etc. Anywhere that sells decent bottled beer charges a price in line with having built a pipeline directly to the country of origin
- Service is for the most part appalling
- Any pub that isn’t guilty of 2 often has bathrooms resembling an alley way full of dumpsters
- I’ve reduced my consumption of beer considerably since taking up running
- There’s far more to life than booze
Think it’s bad in Ireland??
I was in the pub this afternoon to watch Spain vs Switzerland.
There was just me and the barman in the place. Oh, and by the way this happened IN SPAIN!!!
I left at halftime and went for a swim.
Price, Price, Price.
As Mick O’Leary proved after 9/11, no matter what the circumstances, if you chop the price you get the sales.
Yea but the drinks industry isn’t subsidised by various governments indirectly.
They do have barriers to market entry supported by Gov though, that helps. And I think the VFI were behind the anti-head shop campaign 
Little bit naive there OW …
Its true! The point being publicans hold a lot more power directly in the Dail