Author Archives: Bodger

 

Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street, Dublin 2

The permanent closure of Bewley’s Café on Grafton Street in Dublin due to a combination of financial pressures has attracted much media attention in recent days.

It is most likely that many further closures will occur in the near future, and the enormity of the challenge of recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 recession is now coming into sharp relief.

Memories of the last recession are still fresh and one of its greatest effects was on retail businesses and services.

These effects had visible expression in the great extent of shuttered premises along many business streets and the consequent atmosphere of dereliction and neglect, which no amount of high-quality paving and planting could offset.

During this period much attention was paid to problems with high rents on business premises, and in particular to upward-only rent reviews.

Even when excessive rents resulted in closures, many institutions and landlords seemed prepared to accept this.

Options of abolishing upward-only rent reviews were examined but it was advised that, without constitutional change, this could be done only for new leases.

I cannot say how much has been learned from the last recession. In normal times the legal framework governing leases, defaults, relettings, etc, appears to work in a broadly satisfactory manner, but the current problems surely require much more radical action, with the underlying aim of enabling viable businesses to be restarted as soon as possible.

Whatever changes are needed to the legislative framework, the implementation of these should be readily achievable in the current climate.

Significant contributions from public funds are likely to be part of the solution but all other stakeholders will have to suffer some pain, with institutional investors and owners of large retail centres having to play their part.

Diminished rates of return might have to be accepted for quite some time but a sustainable resumption of economic activity within a reasonable timeframe must be the over-riding aim.

Michael Walsh,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3

Anyone?/FIGHT!

Retail Sector And Rents (irish Times Letters)

Rollingnews

From left: Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE; Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health; and Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health at a Covid press briefing last night

This morning.

Via RTÉ

All indications point to the Cabinet giving the green light to begin the reopening of around 1,500 businesses on Monday.

These include homeware stores, garden centres, farmers’ markets, bicycle shops and motor garages, electrical and IT stores, as well as opticians.

Construction workers and gardeners are also set to be able to return to work on Monday.

As part of Phase One, people are advised to continue to stay at home as much as possible but can travel up to 5km from their home to exercise.

Outdoor spaces and tourism sites, along with golf clubs and tennis courts, can re-open as long as social distancing is in place.

Up to four people who do not live in the same household will be allowed to meet up outdoors, as long as they maintain a two-metre distance.

Cabinet set to approve easing of restrictions (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly (top) Larry Goodman Above left) and Denis O’Brien

This afternoon.

Fianna Fail TD Stephen Donnelly pursues the governmetn the cost of leasing private hospitals during Covid-19.

In April, the state paid €115 million for mostly unused private beds from the Bon Secours health group,, Denis O’Brien’s Beacon Medical Group and Larry Goodman’s Galway Clinic among others.

In The Dáil last week, RISE TD Paul Murphy TD raised the discrepancy between the €44,000 paid per bed in Ireland and the €10,000 paid per bed in Britain.

Good times.

Last week: €44,000 Paid Per Private Bed In April

Rollingnews

Roy Keane (left) with Fayla and Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show last February

Course you are.

On The Late Late Show.

Jennifer O’Brien writes:

Michael Bublé, will be chatting to Ryan about lockdown with his family, and the challenges facing the music industry during the ongoing pandemic.

Hoteliers John and Francis Brennan will be in studio to discuss John’s ongoing health battle, and huge changes in the hospitality sector.

In February of this year, Roy Keane captured the hearts of the nation when he appeared on The Late Late Show with Fayla, a puppy in training for the Irish Guide Dogs. Tomorrow evening, we will revisit the story, catching up on labrador Fayla’s journey to becoming a working guide dog.

Kodaline will also be in studio, performing their new single, and a special version of High Hopes.

Aslan frontman Christy Dignam will be speaking to Ryan about the recent passing of his beloved father due to Covid-19….

Imelda May will be giving her debut spoken word performance of some of her compositions during the show….

RTÉ 2FM presenter Eoghan McDermott will be in studio, shaving his head live on air to raise funds for The Julian Benson Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Ryan will also catch up with Julian Benson via skype.

The Late Late Show, RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

Pic via RTÉ

This afternoon.

Niall Gubbins writes:

The fruit & veg section of Ryan’s SuperValu in Glanmire, Cork gave me a smile today.

In fairness to them, they have been going above and beyond for their cocooning customers in Glanmire and the surrounding areas for the past few months….

Bandana?

String-held corrugated sports ‘cup’ (as above)?

PLO scarf?

Tallit?

Refashioned brassiere.

Female ‘Intimate towel’?

Surgical mask?

Ascot/cravat?

The choice is yours.

This afternoon.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed he believes the National Public Health Emergency Team will make a recommendation advising people to wear “face coverings” not face masks in certain circumstances.

He told the Dáil he did not want to run into problems where there could be shortages for people most in need of face masks.

Mr Varadkar added there would need to be a public information campaign regarding their use.

Anyone?

NPHET to make recommendation on face coverings, says Taoiseach (RTÉ)

Covid-19: How to wear your face mask correctly (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Shiny.

Via Dublinia Viking experience:

The Vikings liked to groom themselves just as much as we did, the object in the middle (above) was a handy little vanity kit that they could hook onto their clothes like a keyring!

It had tweezers, and a little scoop for cleaning out all the wax in your ear!

They really liked to make a splash.

Splash.

Never mind.