NIGHTCLUBS in Clare are set for later closing times as part of a major overhaul of the country’s licencing laws.
Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee (FG) is to publish legislation within the next couple of weeks that will be before the Oireachtas in advance of its summer recess.
As part of the proposed legislation, nightclubs will operate at different hours to pubs and late bars, and they will have to apply for a special nightclub permit. Under the current laws, nightclubs and late bars can only stay open until 2.30am if they obtain a Special Exemption Order (SEO) from their local district court, at a cost of €410 per night. Venues are also required to have a Public Dancing Licence, but this is to be abolished.
Bars are currently required to close at 11.30pm on Monday to Thursday, 12.30am on Friday and Saturday, and 11pm on Sundays. An SEO is required every time a licensed premises wants to trade past normal opening hours.
Scrapping of the existing licencing system was recommended last year in a report by the night-time economy taskforce. The changes will also impact on policing in urban areas and trading in hospitality. New 24 hour bus routes have also been advised in locations such as Limerick, Galway, Cork, Waterford, Dundalk, Dublin, Naas and Newbridge as part of the report.
Established by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin (GP), the taskforce noted there is scope for a more distinct nightclub sub-sector to develop in the latter hours. A public consultation on the country’s licensing laws was launched at the end of last year. More than 5,000 people provided submissions on plans to overhaul the system.
Dublin based nightclubs are set for 6am closures in line with the new legislation with this likely to be 3am or 3:30am for nightclubs in more provincial locations such as Co Clare.
Chief Executive Officer of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, Margaret O’Brien said the initial appetite was not very strong to extend the closing time in the county town. “While I believe there is a real need for reform in nightclub licensing, opening until 4, 5 or 6am will very much depend on location, population, demographics and from an operator perspective, the business case for longer opening hours. While later opening could help address some of the adverse impacts associated with the current concentrated closing time during the hour between 2am and 3am, in a town the size of Ennis, I’m unsure if there is a strong enough appetite to lengthen opening hours any further.
Owner of The Claremont Hotel and Nightclub in Lahinch, Eamon Fitzgerald felt the proposals were “up in the air”. He said, “They’re trying to bring Ireland on a par with the likes of Paris and Berlin, it is one thing putting Dublin on a par with it but a little town on West of Ireland is not the same”. Later closing times necessitates improvements to public transport and an increased Garda presence, he stressed.
“We would welcome anything progressive in licensing law changes, it is early days. Apart from ourselves and staff difficulties, anything would need the approval of An Garda Síochána going forward, at times they are stretched, it is something definitely that needs to be addressed. If they didn’t come on board, we are on a hiding to nothing. Safety is paramoun and the transport systems have to have something in place for provincial towns, what’s there at the minute isn’t substantial never mind if hours were changed,” Eamon stated.
He suggested that the issuing is “Uber style licences” may support infrequent journeys in smaller towns where the taxi network is not as strong. “It’s all about getting people home safe at the end of the night, it’s easy to get out but you have to get home safely”. The 6am closing time seemed “dramatic” in his view.
For The Mont in Lahinch, a closing time of 3am was possible, their current closing time is 2am. He told The Clare Echo, the desire to leave nightclubs open for longer didn’t appear too strong, “I don’t think there is a massive appetite, tomorrow is another day too, if you’re going into 6am then Sunday is a wipeout. At least if it is 2:30am when you’re finishing up you will struggle out of the bed the next day”.
