Benny McCabe: Pana ban boosting after-work pub culture

Leading publican Benny McCabe has said the so-called ‘Pana Ban’ — a ban on private cars on Patrick Street between 3pm and 6.30pm daily — has resulted in a new after-work pub culture that has boosted local bars.
Mr McCabe, who owns 11 pubs in the city, including The Oval, Mutton Lane, Crane Lane and The Vicarstown, said that there has been an unintended benefit of the Pana Ban that more people are taking the bus and having a pint after work.
The publican said: “Now you have pubs on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, seeing an after tea/after work drinking environment that we never had in the city before.
“Cork never had an after-work drinks thing, now it has.”
Fellow publican Ernest Cantillon, who runs Electric and Sober Lane, agreed that trading hours have certainly gotten busier earlier and that 6pm to 10pm are now a lot more popular than 10pm to 2am.
“Public transport has made a lot of difference to Dublin, for example, pubs that are on the Luas are busier.”
Mr Cantillon said that the earlier hours were more personable, more social and created more opportunities for business owners such as himself.