What some owners say about the comeback of the B&B

Ita O'Donovan

Knockawn Wood, Co Cork

“My April this year is exactly the same as last year. Easter coming later helped. I’d like to think that people will be looking for more value and it might have a knock-on for the BBs. We’re optimistic anyway.”

Sue Hill

Heron’s Cove, Goleen, Co Cork

“Business-wise, we’re way down. Only for a few Polish workers building locally, it would be a total disaster. I’m down about €17, 000 since January, which is a drop of about 30 per cent on this time last year.”

Conor Healy

Brookville House, Ennis, Co Clare

“From what I can see, numbers are about the same as last year – we benefit form Ryanair going in and out of France and Germany. I’m not sure where the rise in business is meant to be coming from though. The Americans aren’t travelling so far and usually they would be here by now.”

Robert Ashe

Dingle, Co Kerry

“The last year was quiet. We don’t have as many hotels to contend with in Dingle, but business is still down – I would say about 50 per cent. Last Saturday, we had nobody. The Sunday of the bank holiday we had three empty rooms and that would have been unheard-of before. There was a time we’d be turning people away.”

Maureen Wall

Suncrest, Co Waterford

“I’m in a good location off the main road in the south-east, and bookings are very slow. In our case, up until the end of March we were down about 50 per cent and colleagues located near me are the same. We heard last week that business was meant to be up, but we’re not seeing it. It’s not promising.”