There are now around 1,500 less public houses in Ireland than in 2005 – marking a startling decline of just over 17% in a sector that was once considered at the heart of Irish community life, especially in small towns and rural areas. Indeed, rural counties have borne the brunt of the closures with the number of pubs declining by almost 20% to about 6,000 today.
However, during the period 2005 to 2017 the total number of off licences rose by 11.6%, while wine only bars and restaurants increased by 3.1%. There are currently about 7,000 pubs and over 3,000 off licences in the country.
Not only has there been a sharp rise in off-premise consumption but the repertoire of Irish drinkers has also been changing. Indeed, average per adult alcohol consumption is declining in Ireland but there has been a shift towards more premium products. Although beer remains the most popular drink, accounting for nearly 45% of the alcohol product market in Ireland, consumption is in decline and drinkers are showing a growing interest in craft products.
Irish consumers are also displaying a growing taste for wine and spirits. Spirits now represent about 20% of the overall drinks market, while wine holds 28%, having doubled its share since 2001.
Delegates have registered to attend from:
Bar and Pub Owners
Licensees
Bar Managers
Hospitality groups
Off Licence Owners
Chefs « Buyers
Brewers
Food and Beverage producers
Copyright © 2017 Premier Publishing. All rights reserved.