A pub in Ireland is offering a 20 per cent discount to any customers who wear their cost indoors in the hopes of keeping their heating costs down.
Doyle's Corner in Phibsborough, Dublin, have said it will turn the heating down for one night each week in October and offer customers a 20 per cent discount if they don their coats and pay the pub a visit despite the cold.
Last month, Brian Foley, spokesperson for Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (LVA), warned hundreds of pubs around the country might either close or only open part-time over the winter because of the soaring energy costs.
Dublin publicans have reported steep increases already being applied to their bills, with some noting they had experienced a fourfold increase.
In a bid to save money on their heating bill, Doyle's Corner says it will turn down the heat for one night each week for the month of October and are offering a 20 per cent discount to customers that wear their coats into the pub, reports Buzz.ie.
The discount is applicable to a table's food order.
In a post on social media, they said: "So now there is a chill in the air with a bag of coal gone from €16 a bag to €33 we thought now might be a good time to launch our new Tuesday promo. Bring yer coat and get 20 per cent off your food bill. Book a table."
Speaking to MidWest radio, Doyle's co-owner, Ronan Flood, said: "Doyle Corner is a big old listed building and it is really difficult to heat.
"This is a promotion in which we are inviting our guests to 'chill with us every Tuesday' as we turn the heat down a little. In return for bringing your own coat we are offering a 20 per cent discount on the food bill.
"We might even offer a 30 per cent discount if you bring your hot water bottle."
Doyle's isn't the first pub to adopt new measures in a bid to to keep energy bills down during the current cost-of-living crisis.
The Mason's Arms in Cornwall, England, said it was using only candle-light on Monday nights in a bid to draw more customers, but added it would consider fewer opening hours to cut bills.
Landlord Katy Chawner-Woods says the idea came after she opened the August electricity bill and found it was £2,574, compared with £1,172 for the same time last year.
Other pubs said they were shutting on some week nights to keep costs down.
In the run up to the Budget, the LVA has been vocal about the rising cost of energy price s and the knock-on effect this is having on pubs.
Further energy costs increases are anticipated across the sector in the months ahead. Accordingly, LVA said this was a priority measure for them and its members in Budget 2023.
As part of his Budget announcement on Tuesday, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe announced an energy support scheme for businesses during the winter, with the government paying up to €10,000 a month.
The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) will be open to businesses that have seen an increase in their average energy unit price of 50 per cent or more from 2021.
