Market bar ‘hoovering up’ young drinkers
The Galway Christmas market bar is badly affecting city pubs by “hoovering up” young punters since it increased capacity and targeted students in a move away from its original purpose of providing a novelty rest-stop for visitors.
That’s the view of the treasurer of the Galway City branch of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) Johnny Duggan who has received complaints from bar owners concerned about the impact the ‘temporary super pub’ in the middle of Eyre Square has had on their trade.
He argues that the pub should be changed to an ice-skating rink, an indoor venue for stall holders in inclement weather or be significantly scaled back as a bar, in a submission to Galway City Council, which grants the event licence.
The 14th market opens this afternoon (Friday) with 65 chalets selling wares until Christmas Eve. The amusements, including the 32-metre-high Big Wheel and vintage carousel, will continue until January 5.
The owner of Taylor’s Bar on Dominick Street says the current marquee size and business model was adopted in 2018 and publicans soon began to notice the knock-on effect on their premises throughout November, when things are generally slow. After a bumper 2019 in the beer keller when queues of people were vying to get in, Mr Duggan said the VFI intended to object, but then Covid hit.
With the lifting of restrictions in 2022, all pubs enjoyed a vibrant season but last year there was a discernible drop-off in trade once the market opened in early November.
“I saw it in my own bar big-time. As soon as the Christmas market opened, our trade plummeted.
“I don’t have an issue with a bar in the market, people expect one – but it’s the scale of it with a capacity of 500 or 600 – and the fact it’s predominately marketing to students and the under-25s who are buying these one-litre beers and are then unleashed on the town. That’s not what the Christmas Market bar was originally set up for. There used to be a capacity of 150 and people visiting the market would stop off for a hot drink or a Weissbier. Now they’re selling tickets to people who don’t even go to the market.
Pictured: The popular Christmas Market in Eyre Square is due to open this evening, Friday: JOE O'SHAUGHNESSY.