The changing landscape of hospitality

By Paul Clinton Account Executive

Table set for four with wine glasses, napkins, and cutlery in a restaurant with blue seating and a window view.

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It is no secret that the hospitality industry in Ireland has experienced an extremely challenging period since last March. Just recently, we saw the 400th consecutive day that “wet pubs” have been closed in Dublin. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to close fully while the remainder has depended on takeaway sales to stay afloat during this period.

However, with the continuation of the vaccination rollout and other factors resulting in lower Covid-19 cases, it would appear there are some positive developments on the horizon for the industry. Therefore, product providers need to be aware of the changing needs of businesses during the phased reopening of pubs, restaurants and hotels.

The changing landscape and potential requirements

Outdoor hospitality is due to resume on 7th June, and will include all restaurants and pubs. With this service being unavailable since the end of 2020, the likelihood is that there will be a huge demand from consumers, which in turn, represents a great opportunity for struggling businesses to benefit.

As a result, we would recommend that intermediaries contact existing and/or potential new clients to ascertain their individual strategies for reopening.

Examples of potential areas which may need to be addressed are:

While the premises is likely to have been inspected regularly, it is important that any areas/equipment which have not been in operation for some time are checked again prior to reopening
The requirement to have additional staff in place to service demand – ensuring adequate training is in place
Review the current levels of turnover and/or wage roll to ensure this remains accurate
The outside seating/dining areas should be suitable and in good condition to cater for large numbers
Security staff may be required to police the areas where staff will not be present
Risk management to be in place where outside cooking equipment may be in use

About our Leisure facility

Here in Robertson Low we have a dedicated facility for your Leisure risks, which gives us access to a highly qualified and knowledgeable panel of underwriters who have the expertise in place to cater for the following:

Restaurants
Hotels
Traditional pubs
Late night bars
Nightclubs

Our underwriters try to be as flexible as possible to meet the needs of businesses in this sector. For example, introducing the ROI LITE product to provide cover to exclude Public and Employers Liability at a reduced premium during the closure period.

With the steady reopening of the hospitality sector throughout the remainder of this year, an increased number of queries and enquiries is expected. We will continue to work closely with our underwriters to deliver flexible and reliable products in the ever-evolving market.

We have a dedicated and experienced team in place at Robertson Low to deal with any queries, for further information regarding our Leisure product, please contact our team at [email protected] or call 01-9131155.

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Howden Insurance (Ireland) Limited trading as Robertson Low is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Howden Insurance (Ireland) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, No. 973308. Registered in Ireland under company registration number 338916. Registered Office: 10 The Courtyard, Kilcarbery Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 22, Ireland. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes.