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Bewleys campaign begins

The campaign to reopen the iconic Bewley's cafe on Grafton Street begins officially today (Monday).

Fans of the famous coffee shop which opened in 1927 will gather outside at 11am.

The shop shut earlier this month with the loss of 110 jobs.

The closure has been blamed on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the €1.5m annual rental cost.

The building is leased from a company controlled by developer Johnny Ronan.

Damien Cassidy who is spearheading the campaign says it needed to be taken over by someone who cared not about money, but about people.

“We need someone who will come in there with a genuine interest,” he said.

Hayfield Manor plots re-opening

Staff at Hayfield Manor Hotel in Cork will have to rethink how to deliver this five-star service in the era of Covid-19. hayfield0520

Ettenne Van Vrede, CEO, of the Hayfield Collection of hotels told the 'IrishbExaminer' that brightly coloured floor markings and staff wearing surgical masks won’t work.

The collection comprises Hayfield Manor in Cork and the Great Southern Killarney and the Killarney Royal in Co Kerry.

“I’ve got a sample of one of these perspex screens for the Great Southern, I put it up, and it just does not look right.”

Cash, Communication, Certainty Challenge Caterers

Communicating with laid-off staff, preserving cash and a need for some certainty about the future were cited by two leading caterers as the principal challenges facing their micheline21 businesses during the Covid 19 crisis.

Noel Mahony, chief executive of UK caterer BaxterStorey and Kenneth Carroll, director of Carroll Catering were speaking to Micheline Corr at this week’s ‘The Firm Optimist’ discussion.

Noel Mahony said that it is very difficult to get a clear picture of where the catering sector will be early in 2021 and this makes business planning very challenging. Kenneth Carroll agreed and said that caterers will have to try to anticipate changing dining patterns with the possibility that more people will prefer to eat in their homes.

Safety of staff and customers will be at the top of caterers’ agendas. ‘It will not be possible for staff in our client sites to carry uncovered food to a table or their work desks’, Noel Mahony said. ‘Baxter Storey had operated a successful project aimed at reducing its use of plastic packaging, but packaging is likely to be a very important element in its business in the foreseeable future’.

Both caterers praised the Irish Government reaction to the pandemic. ‘In Ireland there was an early reaction, clear guidance and a measured approach’, he said, describing the equivalent response in the UK as ‘starting on the back foot and playing catch-up’.

However, he said that the catering sector in the UK had united to produce positive proposals to the Government.

Wexford plans 'Staycation' drive

Wexford plans to lead the way in attracting home holidaymakers this year.

'The Sunny South East' is preparing a marketing campaign themed “Co Wexford is Open”. The idea is among several proposals sent this week to Heather Humphreys, the hookhead Minister for Business, by Wexford Chamber.

The 'Reviving Wexford' report assesses the county’s options for renewal under several headings. Tourism is presented as a prime opportunity to attract business during the ongoing pandemic, given the likelihood of there being pent-up demand from lockdown-weary domestic tourists from nearby Dublin.

Kerry plans canopies and marquees

Canopies on pedestrianised malls, and marquees outside pubs and restaurants could become the norm in Kerry as plans to allow premises expand onto the street area are tralee0520 advanced.

Huge revenue losses in Kerry, along with more than €20 million shortfall in rates to the local authority are anticipated due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Even medium-sized pubs and cafes would only be able to cater for ten or 12 people under new social distancing guidelines, and this would not be financially viable, Mayor of Tralee Cllr Jim Finucane said.

The Mall in Tralee along with the already pedestrianised town square is likely to be the first to be offered and allowed to install canopies on premises.

In Killarney, where pedestrianisation has proved controversial, there are plans for marquees as well as canopies outside premises.