Just a few months ago, Ireland’s restaurant sector was flourishing. Despite high rents and a VAT increase last year, bookings were strong and jobs plentiful. Having avoided the economic hit of a no-deal Brexit, the industry was looking forward to a strong year built around a busy tourist season and insatiable domestic demand. And with a record 21 establishments receiving Michelin stars in the guide’s latest edition, Irish cuisine seemed to be in a golden age. And with many people still nervous about the virus, few expect demand to return to pre-crisis levels for quite some time.

Source: The Irish Times June 22, 2020 18:56 UTC