News

Pub's €5.8m profit

Drayton House Holdings, the company that owns Dublin's Oliver St. John Gogarty pub and hostel,has posted a profit of close to €5.8 million for the year that ended on February 28, 2019, while its turnover increased 3% to €17.4 million.

Drayton House Holdings also owns Dublin's Blooms Hotel, which the company's owner, Martin Keane, is planning to demolish and replace with a "quirky" four-star hotel that will have at least 140 bedrooms, assuming he receives planning permission to do so.

Closure Orders climb in 2019

The number of enforcement orders issued by the FSAI in 2019 rose 13% on the previous 12 months - meaning last year was the second consecutive year in which there was a fsai

n increase in such orders.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said 124 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses for breaches in food safety legislation in 2019, up 13%, compared to 2018. Between January 1 and December 31, 2019, food inspectors served 107 closure orders, four improvement orders and 13 prohibition orders on food businesses throughout the country.

Six closure orders were served on food businesses last month. These were issued to The Carrots Tail Ltd in Dublin 6, Joe’s Take Away, 3 Dean Street, Kilkenny, Beef and Lobster on Parliament Street, Dublin 2 the Circle K Service Station, on Belgard Road, in Tallaght, Dublin 24, the Indian Aagrah/Bombay Brasserie on Sundays Well Road, Cork, and the main store and warehouse, bakery preparation area, temporary storage container and adjoining delivery area at Lidl in the M1 Retail Park in Drogheda, Louth.

Record year for Knock Airport

Ireland West Airport had a record year in 2019 as passenger numbers rose 5pc to 807,000. It marked the fourth consecutive year of passenger growth at the airport near Knock Knock Airport

in Co Mayo.

Ryanair accounted for the bulk of the airport's passengers, flying 622,000 people in and out of the gateway last year. That was also a record for the carrier at the airport.

The airport, which now serves 23 destinations, is also served by Aer Lingus and Flybe. From March, Ryanair subsidiary Lauda, which is based in Vienna, will operate a new service from Ireland West to Palma Majorca.

New services from Ryanair last year helped to lift passenger numbers between Ireland West and continental Europe by 20pc. The carrier launched a service to Cologne last year, while boosting capacity on a route to Barcelona.

Passenger numbers to and from the UK at the airport edged 2pc higher in 2019.

Restaurants 'Outraged' a Calorie Plan

The Restaurants Association of Ireland says it is "outraged" at proposed new legislation which would see displaying calories on menus becoming mandatory for all restaurants cummins

, pubs, catering establishments and eateries. The requirements would also extend to coffee shops, cafés and delicatessens.

In launching the public consultation, the Department of Health said, "The primary purpose of the proposal, in an environment where increasing numbers are eating out and consuming take-aways and food on the go, is to ensure that calorie information is available at the point of choice for the consumer.

A 2012 public consultation hosted and evaluated by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) found overwhelming consumer support for the principle of calorie posting with 95% in favour of its introduction.

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the RAI, has called on its members to voice their concerns about the proposals which, he said, will have significant negative ramifications for the food industry.

Further objection to Tayto Park plan

Plans by Tayto Park to have its planned €15.5m ‘Coaster 2021’ project operational for next year have suffered a setback. tayto0120

Two of the objectors, who successfully blocked businessman Raymond Coyle’s previous version of ‘Coaster 2021’ last year, have lodged an objection against the new proposal with Meath County Council.

Donal Greene and Clare Smith have lodged their objection against the plan in spite of Mr Coyle claiming that the screams by passengers on the planned new rollercoaster won’t impact on nearby residents.

The new rollercoaster comes with a series of specific measures aimed at eliminating any noise impacts for nearby residents.