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A Circuit Court ruling announced last Friday opens the way for publicans to apply for special exemptions over the Good Friday period. President of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke said that new legislation (Intoxicating

Congratulations to the VFI members who featured in The Sunday Business Post top ‘101 Great Irish Restaurants 2018’. Alongside numerous restaurants the feature also recognised pubs who serve exceptional food to customers. The 32-page supplement

VFI Head Office will be open until 1pm, Thursday 1st March (weather permitting). From lunchtime 1st March the office will close and we will be unable to answer phone calls. Emails will continue to be

The Irish Brewers Association have sent on a guide on how to properly handle kegs when the temperature is below freezing (0˚c). As extreme cold weather is set to hit Ireland over the next couple

AIB has released its 2018 Pubs Outlook, which finds a 6% increase in spending by UK visitors to Irish pubs in the 12 months to the end of October 2017, despite a decline in visitor

We take a closer look at Ireland’s Pub of the Year 2017, The Porter House in Castlebridge, Co. Wexford Giving back to the community is something close to Myles Doyle’s heart since he and his wife

The VFI in partnership with An Garda Síochána is encouraging all publicans to support the Ask for Angela campaign, which aims to stop sexual harassment and unwanted attention. The idea behind the campaign is that

New Fáilte Ireland Food & Drink Strategy Aims to Change Overseas Visitor Perceptions As pub food sales continue a steady climb, Fáilte Ireland has launched a new strategy to boost the relationship between tourism and

Publicans are celebrating a change in the licensing laws that will allow pubs sell alcohol on Good Friday for the first time in 90 years. The Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2017 passed all stages in the

The VFI has welcomed today’s launch of the Alliance for Insurance Reform, saying the initiative is badly needed in the face of the unprecedented escalation in insurance costs. According to Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive,

New dates have been announced for ‘The Business of Pub Food’ courses run by Blathnaid Bergin in conjunction with the VFI. The courses have run for a number of years and have received excellent feedback

A mental health campaign founded in Wexford is expanding nationwide and is calling for support from publicans around the country. The Ask campaign was founded by former Wexford Mayor Frank Staples in 2016.  The campaign

To celebrate the humble burger, BurgerFest 2018 is taking place on January 22nd – 29th 2018 in venues across the country.  VFI members are invited to participate in the event, which was originally held in

  Over 73% of Irish people will visit the pub this Christmas, with the majority voting Christmas Eve as their favourite ‘night out’ over the festive period, according to an online poll conducted by the

As pubs and restaurants gear up for another busy year in the food market, what new ingredients or stand out trends can you expect to see in 2018? Food trends expert at Musgrave MarketPlace, Dr Deirdre

VFI member, Thomas Treacy from Treacy’s Bar & Restaurant, Portlaoise has received an award and special recognition from the Road Safety Authority for his transport service. Treacy’s Bar & Restaurant, which is located approximately 5km from

Business consultant Alan O’Neill writes a weekly column about making the most of your business for The Sunday Independent. In this week’s column he focuses on the challenges faced by rural pubs and highlights Irish

For the first time ever the self-employed including publicans are now entitled to long-term sick pay. From the 1st of December nearly 326,000 self-employed people are entitled to long-term sick pay. The invalidity pension, paid at

Cellar safety in pubs is being tackled ahead of Christmas trade with help of the Licensed Premises/Cellar Safety campaign.   The Irish Brewers Association and the Health & Safety Authority have co-launched a programme designed for

Domestic pets will be allowed to enter pubs as food hygiene regulations dating back to 1950’s which prohibited pet owners from bringing their dogs and cats inside restaurants, cafés and pubs has now been repealed. Patrons