Highest decline of pubs in Ireland has been in Limerick - new report reveals

IT WAS literally “last orders” for 170 pubs in Limerick since 2005, according to a new report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).

Titled Support Growth: A Sustainable Future for Ireland’s Drinks and Hospitality Sector, the publication includes a county-by-county breakdown of the number of pubs shuttered. County Limerick (35.6%) has seen the highest decline ahead of  Roscommon (31.9%), Cork (31.4%), Tipperary (31.2%) and Laois (30.6%). The national closure average is  24%. 

The lowest number of pub closures over the period came in Dublin which has seen a decline of 3% in pubs.

This latest analysis comes on top of recently published data by the Restaurants Association of Ireland which found that 283 food-led businesses such as restaurants, cafés and gastropubs closed in the last six months of 2023, with a further 212 such businesses shut so far this year.

 The report, including economic analysis from Economist and Associate Professor Emeritus at DCU, Anthony Foley, shows that an average of 114 pubs have closed annually over the past 18 years. The number of closures has risen in the last five years to 144 annual closures.   

Professor Tony Foley said this analysis verifies the consistent trend they have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. 

“There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. 

“The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains. 

“Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products,” said Professor Foley.   

They are also seeing that with many pubs, which are often small, family-run businesses, sustaining business is becoming harder and harder. 

“Fostering commercial sustainability is crucial to safeguarding rural Irish pubs. Ireland’s drinks and hospitality businesses are operating in an environment where the costs of doing business are ever rising. 

“Energy, insurance, and other cost line items continue to rise, many by double digits.  The sector is also faced with one of the most regressive excise tax environments for small and medium enterprises in Europe,” said Professor Foley.

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