Retail Excellence has called on the Government to urgently provide clarity on the reopening of indoor dining, saying that it is critical that businesses have time to prepare if plans are changed.
Indoor dining is set to resume on Monday July 5, but a rise in cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19 has led to speculation that this date may be postponed.
As well as retailers, Retail Excellence represents over 300 cafes and coffee-shops throughout the country.
It said today that the Government can not afford to leave a decision to the last minute as this would have a disastrous effect on business owners.
"Throughout the pandemic, business owners in the retail and hospitality sectors have had to plan around last-minute Government guidance which has greatly added to their difficulties. This cannot continue, which is why we are calling on the Government to make a swift, timely decision on the reopening of indoor dining," Duncan Graham, Managing Director of Retail Excellence, said.
He said that the planned date of July 2 for an announcement on indoor dining would be far too late for business owners who were already nursing huge losses as a result of the pandemic.
"Businesses understand that a delay on reopening may be necessary to avoid another surge in cases, but it is unrealistic to expect business owners to adequately prepare for either reopening or continued closure with just a few days' notice," he said.
"Planning for reopening takes weeks, and any delay in the announcement will lead to overwhelming staffing and stocking issues that could easily be avoided with some much-needed foresight," he added.
The Licensed Vintners Association yesterday called on the Government and NPHET to make a decision by Friday this week, on whether the planned re-opening of indoor dining in pubs and restaurants will go ahead on July 5.
LVA CEO Donal O'Keefe said there is very significant costs to be incurred to prepare premises to re-open, adding that businesses can not operate with the current level of uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Padraig Cribben, the VFI's chief executive, also said that comments from Government ministers that the July 5 reopening may be delayed is causing huge upset and concern in the hospitality sector.
