Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said some businesses had invested €50,000-€60,000 preparing outdoor dining space for customers. “Shelters, heaters, windbreakers – all this equipment is a huge investment.”The Government grant of €4,000 under the outdoor dining enhancement scheme would not cover what most people spent on adapting their premises, he said. However, many restaurants had no space for outdoor dining, he said, and would have to wait until July 5th to reopen when the ban on indoor dining was due to be lifted. “Outdoor dining is going to be here for a long time... Timber suppliersThe emphasis on outdoor dining has proved a boon for suppliers of timber products such as fences, decking and outdoor seating.

Source: The Irish Times June 06, 2021 16:08 UTC