News

Hoteliers seek travel easing

Hoteliers are calling on the Government to allow people to travel outside their county and to permit indoor dining in hotels, including for non-residents, as part of its reduced elaina restrictions for reopening society safely this December.

Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, President of the Irish Hotels Federation says these measures will ensure hotels can reopen in a safe and sustainable manner, while helping to provide safe, controlled environments for people during the festive season this year.

“It is clear that Christmas will be very different this year. Nonetheless there is still an expectation that people will be able to travel to family outside their county, and hotels can be an important part of the infrastructure in facilitating this safely. We are urging the Government to recognise the important role hotels can play as part of the solution for a safer Christmas.”

'World' awards for Fire and Sole

Two Dublin restaurants- FIRE Steakhouse and Bar on Dawson Street, and SOLE Seafood and Grill on South William Street, have won awards at the “World Luxury Restauran fFire01120 t Awards 2020”.

SOLE Seafood and Grill won “Best Seafood Restaurant in Europe” for the second year in a row

FIRE Steakhouse took the “Global Steakhouse of the Year” title.

At the start of 2020, FIRE Steakhouse underwent a refurbishment. Management spent over one million euro on a fresh fit out, a sleek new look, plush interiors and the rejuvenation of menus and the outdoor terrace. FIRE Steakhouse was due to celebrate this new facelift with a grand unveiling, but with restrictions, plans were hampered.

Limerick Greenway plan for tender

Clare T.D. Michael McNamara says that the preliminary design of a Greenway linking Limerick City with Clonlara, O'Briensbridge, Killaloe and Scariff will go to tender next week mlmcnamara0320 .

In July, €140,000 was allocated for the design of the Greenway, which will start from the existing greenway to UL, crossing the River Shannon over the Black Bridge and following the old Errina canal across publicly-owned lands to O’Briensbridge and Killaloe and onwards to Scariff.

Deputy McNamara said, “I have received confirmation from Waterways Ireland that a tender for the preliminary design of this project will be published next week. It is hoped that a preliminary design will be produced in the first half of 2021. This is welcome news for the communities involved particularly Clonlara and O'Briensbridge in terms of attracting tourists and providing a local community amenity.”

Dominos franchise profit slip

Profits at the country’s biggest Domino’s pizza franchisee, Shorecal, slipped last year to €8.8m from €9.2m in 2018, newly-filed accounts for the business show. dominos

Majority controlled by Northern Ireland’s Caldwell family, investors including Domino’s UK and the wealthy US-based Bronfman family took stakes in Shorecal last year.

Accounts for Shorecal, which controls about 30 Domino’s Pizza outlets in Ireland, show that its revenue rose 6pc to €53.7m last year. Higher interest charges pushed its profits lower than in 2018, however.

There were no dividends paid by the company last year, compared to €4.6m that had been paid in 2018.

Julie elected to top Sommelier post

Julie Dupouy Young, President, Irish Guild of Sommeliers is the new Association Sommelerie International (ASI) Deputy General Secretary. julie0320

William Wouters of Belgium has been elected the new president of the Associatio. The vote was held as part of the organization’s annual General Assembly.

Wouters will be joined in his three-year term by a restricted board filled with experienced and new members. Peer F. Holm was selected as the ASI Secretary General, Julie Dupouy-Young as the ASI Deputy Secretary General, Philippe Faure-Brac as ASI Treasurer and Samuil Angelov as ASI Deputy Treasurer.

A full slate of vice presidents was also elected: Saiko Tamura-Soga (Japan) for Asia & Oceania, Michèle Aström Chantôme (Morocco) for Africa & the Middle East, Piotr Kamecki (Poland) for Europe and Marcos Flores Tlalpan (Mexico) for the Americas. ASI vice presidents are primarily responsible for coordinating the associations in each continent or geographical area.