Coronavirus: Hospitality sector 'needs all-island timetable'
- Published
The Westenra Arms Hotel normally employs 65 full time and 60 part time staff
If things were different, the Westenra Arms Hotel in Monaghan would be ramping up preparations ahead of a promising summer, with everyone looking forward to the town's annual Country Music Festival.
The hotel opens on to the diamond in Monaghan's town centre, where a stage would soon appear ready to host country music royalty in July.
But, of course, there's no stage and no festival. Instead, Westenra Arms owner Frank McEnaney is gearing up for a summer few could have anticipated.
"When we closed the hotel in March, we certainly didn't think it would last months," he said.
Frank McEnaney says he hopes to bring staff back to the Westenra Arms a few weeks ahead of re-opening
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar first announced the closure of schools and colleges on 12 March.
The message was clear - everyone was to remain at home as much as possible in an attempt to collectively reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
In May, the government in the Republic of Ireland revealed a pathway out of lockdown to allow some businesses to reopen while still aiming to limit the spread of the virus.
The pathway allows for restaurants and cafes to open from 29 June and for hotels to open from 20 July.
Mr McEnaney said he is aiming to reopen the Westenra Arms in July.
"Nothing is set in stone but having a date to work towards is very helpful.
"We are using the next few weeks to work on ways to implement social distancing - from having screens at reception to spacing the tables out in the restaurant."
Mr McEnaney is also using the time to retrain staff.
The Armagh City Hotel is currently closed to customers but the hotel is looking after NHS staff who are working locally
Mr McEnaney admitted the lockdown "isn't wonderful" for business, but added that the health of staff and customers "is far more important".
Less than a 30-minute drive up the road - and across the porous border into Northern Ireland - there is a danger the kegs of beer in the Armagh City Hotel will soon start to go off.
The hotel closed its doors the same week as the Westenra Arms in March 2020.
For manager Barry Donaghy, the uncertainty is stressful.
"When we closed in March we thought it could be a couple of weeks," he said.
"But I hope we can open in August."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson initiated a UK-wide lockdown on 23 March.
The Stormont Assembly has published a pathway out of lockdown but did not include a timeframe which has led to criticism from some quarters
Last week, the Northern Ireland Executive published a pathway out of the lockdown but refused to include any dates.
First Minister Arlene Foster said she, and the executive, "would not be driven by a timeline".
The absence of a timeline was criticised by the Belfast Chamber of Commerce and it is also a cause of concern for Mr Donaghy, especially as only 25km away hotels and restaurants like the Westenra Arms are preparing for a reopening in six weeks.
Mr Donaghy said the hospitality industry will miss out if restaurants and pubs are not able to open at about the same time as those in the Republic of Ireland.
He said he could end up in a situation where he could go for a short drive and have dinner in Castleblaney in the Republic of Ireland, but yet he would not be able to eat in his own hotel in Northern Ireland.
"I understand the reasoning behind not having a timeframe, but having dates to work towards would be really helpful.
"We could keep staff informed, prepare the hotel for a new way of working and also make sure we are fully stocked and ready."
Barry Donaghy says the challenge for the hotel industry is to make sure customers feel safe in a social environment
That said, he does not foresee people breaking for the border when the lockdown lifts in the Republic of Ireland.
"Customers will have to feel safe and I can't see a big influx of people crossing the border for lunch or dinner when restrictions are lifted."
While keen to get back to a new normal, Frank McEnaney said the Westenra Arms will not be rushing to take advantage of the cross-border split in lockdown easing measures.
"We aren't going to rush to open to get ahead of competitors," he said.
"We will open when it's safe and in line with health advice from the authorities."
For both the Westenra Arms and Armagh City Hotel, finding that balance between providing good food and a good atmosphere with new ways to keep staff and customers safe is unchartered territory.
Mr McEnaney reckons the Westenra Arms will not be back operating with the full complement of 120 staff until March 2021.
"The hospitality and tourism industries are facing a very challenging future."
Mr Donaghy feels that "there is only once chance to get this right", adding that the onus is on hotels to create "some sort of semblance of normal, while also keeping people safe".
- Published24 September 2017
- Published17 January 2020
