RONAN FAGAN
The local hospitality industry continues to be detrimentally impacted by the presence of Covid-19 with numerous restaurants remaining closed and uncertain as to when customers will return and savour an indoor dining atmosphere.
While the primary focus is on an outdoor summer dining experience, it was expected that restaurants would reopen their doors to a returning public on July 5, but the recent decision taken by Government and NPHET to postpone reopening continues to detrimentally impact upon an industry which has suffered immensely since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.
Speaking to the Athlone Advertiser this week, Thyme proprietor, John Coffey, does not expect to reopen the Custume Place located restaurant this month as talks continue between Government and hospitality industry representatives to enable a prompt return to indoor dining.
“While the news that was relayed last week is disappointing, the current situation is out of our control and as a business working within the hospitality industry we await further developments as relevant negotiations continue,” Coffey stated.
Thyme was fully booked for the month of July and in advance of the initially proposed reopening date, Coffey and his colleagues had returned to the working environment, ordering produce and menu planning as they prepared to welcome diners to the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for the first time since December 2020.
“The news of indoor dining postponement was late to be released into the public domain and with preparations for our reopening at an advanced stage it was with immense disappointment that such an announcement was received within the restaurant,” Coffey commented.
Employing ten staff members, Coffey noted that Thyme will reopen “only when it is safe to do so” and is of the view that the proposed vaccine passport for indoor dining will only cause more problematic issues should it be formally implemented following Government and hospitality industry negotiations.
“We will only open our doors to the public when it is absolutely safe to do so, it is an uncontrollable situation at the present time, but I would be wary of the use of vaccine passports for indoor dining purposes.
“We are very much a family orientated restaurant and would not welcome a situation whereby we have to refuse service to those children of a certain age group who are unvaccinated and hence, cannot avail of such a passport,” Coffey continued.
Having been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in October 2019, Coffey and his colleagues at Thyme restaurant were enthusiastically anticipating a period of busy custom to follow but with restrictions imposed, such an occurrence has yet to fully materialise.
“Thankfully, we have a steady custom through the calendar year, but the closing of our doors due to the presence of Covid-19, initially in March 2020, did not allow Thyme to avail of the benefits which are associated with the awarding of this prestigious accolade,” Coffey remarked.
Hoping to receive further information pertaining to the reopening of indoor dining following further Government and hospitality industry representatives today (Thursday ), he is looking forward to the eventual return of customers to the atmospheric surrounds of Thyme.
“While the immediate indoor dining reopening is unclear, I am hopeful that the industry can arrive at a situation which will permit a safe dining experience for members of the public in the not too distant future,” Coffey concluded.
It is expected that the Government cabinet will meet on Tuesday next, July 13, with an announcement of the plan for reopening indoor dining expected on that date.
Pop-Up Testing Centre
Meanwhile, 112 persons were tested at the HSE pop-up Covid-19 test centre which has reopened on the former St Aloysius site on Deerpark Road as fears grow concerning the possible escalation of Delta variant cases within the Athlone area.
The test centre commenced operations on Tuesday of this week and will open tomorrow (Friday, July 9 ) from 10am to 4pm.
The walk-in facility will remain operational for Covid-19 testing for four further dates this month - Tuesday, July 13 and 20, and on Friday, July 16 and 23, also from 10am to 4pm.
