Silent Nights

The closure of Irish ports and airports to domestic UK traffic last Sunday night over concerns about a new strain of COVID-19 caused chaos for many travellers and those in the transport sector.

Shutting down the hospitality sector over the festive period will only exacerbate the spread of COVID-19, a local hotel manager has insisted. Yesterday (Tuesday) the government agreed emergency measures to curb the spread of the virus following a spike in infection levels.

It was confirmed yesterday that all pubs will close from 3pm on Christmas Eve and inter county travel banned from December 27 as part of revised restrictions (see www.anglocelt.ie for revised rules).

“The gastro bars, restaurants and hotels are part of the solution, not part of the problem,” Tony Walker, general manager, Slieve Russell Hotel, toldThe Anglo-Celtas the government confirmed Ireland is in the grip of the third wave of the Coronavirus pandemic with over 900 cases reported last night.

Pfizer’s vaccine was authorised by the European Commission ahead of time on Monday, with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirming “we will begin vaccinating this side of the New Year”.

But Mr Walker believes removing the hospitality sector from the equation is a poorly thought out decision: “We have proven we can supply a safe, comfortable environment for people to gather and meet in small numbers. We have put all the measures and protocols in place to do that.”

The hotelier says Dr Tony Holohan’s call to move the country to Level Five restrictions would push people to host parties in domestic settings.He further suggested the availability of low cost alcohol in supermarkets poses a greater threat to public health than open restaurants: “Allow people to gather in controlled environments in hotels and restaurants,” Mr Walker continued.

“We have the procedures in place to manage that responsibly. He [Dr Holohan] wants to close that down and people will then gather in homes, which are uncontrolled environments. All the cheap alcohol available is only going to fuel the problem more.”

With three weddings booked over the Christmas period and numerous bookings for Christmas day lunch, the hotelier is prepared for a busy period. Still, uncertainty looms over the sector’s future.

The knock-on effect also sees hotels suppliers hit as all food orders are on hold until the government clarify exactly what restrictions will prevail for hotels over the festive period and in January.

Meanwhile, the closure of Irish ports and airports to domestic UK traffic last Sunday night over concerns about a new strain of COVID-19 caused chaos for many travellers and those in the transport sector.

The French have also banned traffic using the land bridge to France from England.

Ray Cole from Virginia International Logistics describes some of the mayhem that ensued: “We had six drivers on a boat in Newhaven all ready to go to France with six loads of Irish beef... The boat did not sail and they took the trucks back off the boat.

“Then on Monday we managed to get the trailers alone shipped out with the loads on board and we had to then organise for six drivers in France to lift our trailers and deliver them. Then they had to be reloaded and shipped back here again.”

Mr Cole said it resulted in a “doubling” of the workload and costs involved, not to mention a 24-delay in the consignment reaching its destination.

Around 35 drivers are working right through the Christmas period for Virginia International Logistics.

“The drivers are stuck in the middle of all this and those lads have worked right through the pandemic to keep the food supplies moving into all the shops and supermarkets,” said Mr Cole.

The French ban on the landbridge will continue to create additional problems and costs on Mr Cole’s routes to market in the coming days and weeks.

With Brexit finally happening from January 1, Mr Cole also anticipates additional customs paper work and costs.

He’s hoping a deal can be worked out before the end of the year to avoid additional tariffs on goods.

“It will all be very messy and it will take the transport industry two or three months to get it all streamlined again and there will be more administration costs involved and delays will lead to additional cost as well,” he remarked.