Sir, – The best of luck to the JD Wetherspoon pub chain in its attempt to introduce genuine competition to the Irish pub scene ("Weatherspoon axes Heineken after Dún Laoghaire pub row", Business, December 10th) It seems their refusal to slap a few extra euro on the price of a pint has not gone down well with the established players.
The native licensed trade will no doubt be cheering on “Big Beer” from the sidelines. The last thing it needs is some brash upstart threatening its carefully engineered cartel in the run-up to Christmas. But this challenge is long overdue. While some Irish pubs have raised their game in recent years, many cling stubbornly to a losing formula of a limited beer range sold at extortionate prices, with the backing track of televised soccer on every wall. Throw in a 19th-century licensing system that effectively operates as a high wall around the existing trade – and the reform of which publicans have fought tooth and nail against – and it is easy to find oneself rooting for the underdog.
Solely in the interest of ensuring your readers are accurately informed, I have visited Wetherspoon’s first such pub in Blackrock and can confirm it is a very pleasant establishment with reasonably priced food and drink, attentive staff and a refreshing absence of televised sport or screeching pop music. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP DONNELLY,
Clane, Co Kildare.