As hospitality gets ready for its reopening next week, one pub in Enniskillen is hoping to add another dimension to what they can offer customers when they return.

With licensed premises with outdoor facilities able to reopen from Friday, April 30, Pat’s Bar is hoping to have tables on The Diamond for customers.

The bar owner, Michael Cadden, hopes that if they get the go ahead to put tables out, it will help reinvigorate the town centre and make the area more attractive for locals and tourists alike.

“We had a very constructive meeting with the Council and my understanding is that the Council is on for this café licence to be used in Enniskillen to try and invigorate the night time trade, to make the town more welcoming to locals and tourists.

“The town can feel so derelict come 6pm in the evening,” Michael feels.

Michael believes by working alongside the Council and not being intrusive into The Diamond, Pat’s will provide a hospitality presence in the town centre which can only be a benefit.

“The town for so long has felt so derelict, it’s us and a couple of other people who could get some presence on the street and it can only be to the benefit of the town.

“There hasn’t been a place where you can sit outside in the town and eat and drink and I think we have now created that which is great. We have applied for it and we are confident and we are proceeding with our plans.

“You now have the ability to sit in the middle of such a lovely town.”

Michael hopes that all the relevant processes will be in place for the outside tables in time for next week. Then, when hospitality fully reopens, it will form part of a new look Pat’s Bar which will include Bridie’s wine bar at the front of their premises.

Impartial Reporter:

One thing that does concern Michael as they prepare to reopen is the difficulty around filling job vacancies.

With over 60 jobs currently being advertised across Pat’s Bar, Lusty Beg and The Enniskillen Hotel, Michael admits getting them all filled will be the biggest issue.

“Really I don’t know what’s caused it. We haven’t been at full staffing levels for 14 months and getting those people back in is going to be a challenge.”

Michael is hoping that people are not holding off until the last minute to apply for jobs: “My worry is when the jobs are going to come up and anyone sitting at home wondering what they are going to do in a month’s time? My advice is there are jobs there and there is no harm in applying and seeing what is out there.”

With April 30, seeing the reopening of Pat’s and May 24 the indicative date for Lusty Beg and The Enniskillen Hotel, Michael reiterated that it will not be business as usual from the off.

“The floodgates aren’t open. We will control bookings and access because we still want everyone to be safe. There’s a perception that the world is reopening on the 30th, it’s not we will still have certain limitations.”

With the supply chain also having to get back up and running Michael wants customers to be patient when they do get back out and about.