THE inquiry by the Competition Authority into the drinks trade posed an enormous threat to the unique nature of the Irish pub, Mr Pat McCann, president of the Irish Hotels' Federation (IHF), told the IHF's annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry.
He said hoteliers knew from their guests that a visit to a pub experience in Ireland. "It allows them to see our culture and meet our people in a special way." If licences became easier to obtain, this would cause a proliferation of licensed outlets, such as coffee shops, selling beer, similar to those on the Continent.
