Door is closing on 6am opening boost

Delaying Bill beyond Xmas ‘a catastrophe’ for pubs & clubs

- DANNY DE VAAL

DELAYING laws allowing nightclubs and pubs to open until 6am is “absolutely catastrophic” for the industry, one of Ireland’s top promoters has warned.

Nightclub operator Buzz O’NeillMaxwell, who has worked in the night-time entertainment sector for 30 years, said the extended trading hours were set to be a “saving grace” after the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The plans to allow revellers to dance in clubs and pubs for longer were first touted in 2021 and it was expected the reforms would come into play before Christmas.

However, it has since emerged the Bill will be delayed until 2023.

Mr O’Neill, who runs a number of club nights across the LGBTQ scene, said: “The implications for many businesses are catastrophic.