'The crowds are out': Cork bars and restaurants report busy weekend

This weekend was the first fully free of stringent Covid-19 restrictions, and Cork city bars and restaurants have reported busy evenings and good-humoured crowds.

Ernest Cantillon, owner of Sober Lane and Electric, noted that a welcome hangover from restrictions is that people are coming out earlier and heading home earlier, something he felt would stick in the months ahead.

“For us, if we’re busy earlier and get out of the place earlier, it’d be great.

“Also, food is a big part of our model, so I think you’ll have a better experience of one of our businesses earlier rather than later because we can offer you more,” Mr Cantillon said.

“The other thing is it's still January, and for us, we're up massively on what would have been January 2019, which is great.

Mr Cantillon said that he had been working between his premises' over the weekend and although town was busy, he hadn’t seen any signs of anti-social activity.

Paul Montgomery, owner of Clancy’s Bar, said it had been a “very, very busy” weekend.

“It's just a big change of scenery, and it's hard to go from zero to 100 overnight, but the crowds are out.

“It's a challenge to have staff numbers and everything back to where it should be,” Mr Montgomery said, adding that it would be full steam ahead for the coming weeks.

Mike D’Arcy, proprietor of the Friary on Shandon Street, said some people were having trouble remembering where they can and can’t wear their masks, but he was delighted to see so many people back.

“We were worried if people would have had their behaviour changed and were just going to stay home and drink wine and gin and tonics, all night, and watch the television or be online or whatever, but, no, people are glad to be back,” he said.

“We’re nice and busy, and as long as it keeps going we're looking forward to longer days, so we can use our little outdoor space a bit more.”