Christmas
Aside from St. Patrick’s Day, the most important time of the year for Irish pubs is Christmas. Not all drinking establishments will be open on Christmas Day itself. However, the festive build-up and subsequent New Years celebrations will create a high amount of profits for pub owners.
When Christmas approaches, many people are given time off work. Students may return to their hometowns. As a result, a lot of citizens get the chance to socialise with friends. Irish pubs are the ideal venues for this purpose.
Plenty of drinking businesses have begun to serve food as well. Sites including Sky News have explored the reasons for this popular trend. If bars have a food menu, it means customers will not have to leave and go to a rival restaurant business. Furthermore, it can end up being more profitable than focusing solely on an alcohol-related service. Christmas dinners are often highly lucrative for Irish pubs.
One of the biggest mistakes to make is not preparing for the holiday rush. Managers should order plenty of supplies and ensure they have enough staff members ready. It is best to train employees before the festive season starts so that they are prepared.
St. Patrick’s Day
There are times of the year when an Irish pub will see a significant level of customer traffic. It is vital that owners prepare so that they have enough stock ready. One of the most memorable holidays for these businesses is St. Patrick’s Day.
Every year on March 17th, this celebration is held. It was originally a religious feast to honour the patron saint of the Irish nation. However, over the centuries St. Patrick’s Day has been significantly altered. In modern times it is a day to celebrate the Irish culture in general. Fans of it will often drink alcohol such as Guinness and whiskey.
Throughout the day, parades are held, and festivals take place. St. Patrick died in 461. His legacy still has a direct impact on Irish drinking establishments. Historically the Lent based restrictions on alcohol were lifted on this day. This is the main reason why it has become so popular to drink on March 17th.
Eventually, it became a recognised public holiday for the people living within the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated globally and has evolved into something much more widespread. North America has embraced it in particular.
However, there are some who argue that the holiday has lost its original purpose. Opponents state that it has become far too commercialised. Others believe it encourages negative Irish stereotypes. Despite this, every year, Irish pubs continue to see an influx of customers thanks to the popularity of St. Patrick’s Day.