New rules mean time will be more precious than ever for restaurants

Lynch predicts restaurants will take card details at bookings to deter no-shows

Table spaces will be more precious than ever before if the proposed new rules come into force for eateries, says a leading restaurateur.

Fáilte Ireland announced a reduction in the physical distancing restrictions to one metre "in certain circumstances" for restaurants and gastro pubs when they reopen on Monday, June 29. The change in policy sees physical distancing slashed in half from two metres. While that has met with approval from food industry groups, the draft rules reportedly outline that those "certain circumstances" include that meals will have to be pre-booked, and customers can only remain in the premises for 90 minutes.

"You are going to have to be very strict on your time," Gearoid Lynch told The Anglo-Celt in response to the new arrangements. "If someone is coming to your restaurant for 6pm, they will have the 90 minutes till 7.30pm. They will have to be on time. The idea of cancellations or people not showing up for their table will jeopardise the industry..."

He added that "no-show" customers and cancellations have already presented problems for restaurants across the sector in recent years.

"When it comes to booking I wouldn't be surprised if people will take credit card details going forward, because that table is going to be so precious now - a lot more precious than it was before this, so there is going to be big changes in the industry."

The Olde Post Inn proprietor said the development on distancing was "very welcome".

"As the RAI said, you would have seen 80-90% job losses because there is a lot small cafes out there and they wouldn't have survived," said Gearoid, however he notes that even one metre will present difficulties for the smaller establishments.

While commentators have predicted the time limit will cause problems for fine dining establishments, for casual dining, Gearoid believes that 90 minutes is "perfect".

He estimates that typically diners would have spent "two hours or a little more" at The Olde Post, but that they will have to adapt to comply with the new timing.

Revamp

The management team at The Olde Post Inn have put the last three months to good use. They have invested in a new kitchen, carried out renovations and reconsidered their business model, enabling them to return in a "different format", the details of which Gearoid hopes to reveal in the coming days.

"I think COVID-19 has really ripped up the rule book for a lot of restaurants and a lot of businesses, and is allowing them to come back in different forms and try different things out."

Fáilte Ireland’s guidelines for pubs, gastro pubs and bars will be published in the coming days. The guidelines will state that from June 29 pubs that serve food and meet other features expected of a restaurant may reopen.

But, publicans be warned, a pack of bacon fries or a ham sandwich don't count!

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