Pubs face higher outdoor charge

Pubs, restaurants and cafes are to face an almost threefold increase in charges for using public footpaths for outdoor seating under new regulations from Dublin City Council.

The council is seeking to cash in on the demand for outdoor drinking and eating facilities created by the smoking ban, by increasing the annual footpath rental charge from €170 per sq m to €500 per sq m in some city centre areas.

In one example, The Bailey on Duke Street could see its annual charge increase from €12,335 to €33,125 - a rise of almost 170 per cent. Down Under, a pub on South King Street, would pay €19,250 instead of €12,335.

Under the current pricing structure, all city premises pay an annual fee of €125 per table and €170 per sq m of footpath. The new system retains the same table charge, but divides the city into several zones for determining the square metre charge.

City-centre pedestrianised streets will incur the biggest charge at €500 per sq m, the rest of the city centre (within the "yellow" parking zone) will pay €400 per sq m, the area from Phibsboro to Ranelagh (the "red" parking zone) will pay €300 per sq m, while all other areas will pay €200 per sq m.

The current charges provided an income of €130,000 which was only just covering the cost of administering the system and the cost of a minimal level of enforcement, the council said.

It could not be precise about the expected income under the new system, because premises could choose to reduce their outdoor seating, however it expected to earn €300,000 a year.

"Up to now this has been underpriced and there was a tenancy for adjoining premises to take up too much space. Hopefully some larger premises will move back a bit," the council's director of traffic Owen Keegan said.

Pubs and restaurants, particularly in pedestrianised areas, were benefiting from the council's upgrading of the outdoor area and were using the outdoor space almost all year round with canopies and gas heaters, he said.

"We feel this is a very modest proposal. It will allow us to put an enforcement model in place, to stop premises putting unlicensed items out on the street."

The charges will come into force in two stages, on June 1st this year and June 1st, 2007.