Heineken are giving sports fans across Ireland the chance to win incredible prizes just by enjoying a pint at your local pub.
That’s right, when you buy a pint of Heineken in one of hundreds of participating pubs across Ireland, you’ll be entered into a draw for the chance to win unmissable sporting experiences such as unforgettable UEFA Champions League trips (including flights and accommodation) and Investec Champions Cup tickets.
There’s nothing like the sound of that Champions League anthem echoing through an iconic European stadium. The roar of the crowd. The floodlights. The goosebumps.
Now, imagine experiencing it in person.
There is a guaranteed winner in each of the 100 participating pubs across Ireland. That means a chance to win flights, accommodation, and tickets to witness football at its very best.
Rugby fans are also covered with the chance to win pairs of Investec Champions Cup tickets in 200 pubs across Ireland with guaranteed winners in each pub.
Glazed tile, three-dimensional lettering of the word ‘Bar’, in antique Art Nouveau style on the exterior fascia of a British Pub
Why have thousands of pubs closed in Ireland?
More than 2,000 pubs in Ireland have been forced to close since 2005, according to data from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).
The research found that 2,054 pubs have ceased trading in Ireland in the past 18 years, equal to a reduction of 24% of licensed premises.
The figures, which reveal that around 114 pubs on average have closed across the country every year of the last 18 also showed that this figure has risen to 144 a year in the period between 2019 and 2023.
According to the DIGI study, every one of the 26 counties has seen the number of pubs in it decrease over the last two years in particular with the more rural counties seeing the highest closure rates.
Limerick was identified as the county with the steepest decline in the number of public houses, with a drop of 35.6% since 2005.
Roscommon saw a drop of 31.9% and Cork now has 31.4% fewer pubs.
The research highlighted how Dublin was the least impacted, with a decrease of just 2.8%, followed by Meath which saw a 6.7% drop in pubs and Wicklow with 8.9% fewer watering holes.
Professor Tony Foley, economist and associate professor emeritus at Dublin City University, who carried out the analysis for DIGI, told RTÉ: “This analysis verifies the consistent trend we have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains.”
DIGI also outlined how rising costs in the industry, including energy and insurance, were considered a challenge.
The research additionally included surveying 600 pubs and restaurants to find out the biggest factors impacting each of them and discovered that nearly one in four had seen their business costs rise 20-30% over the past two years.
Added to this, 15% admitted that their business costs had climbed by 40% over the same timeframe, not helped by the fact that there was a downward trend in drinking.
Foley explained: “Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products.”
Giving context to the knock on effect of the closures, DIGI chair and communications and corporate affairs director at Irish Distillers, Kathryn D’Arcy added: “Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people which is 8.3% of all employees in the country. These people and the businesses they work for are part of the economic and social fabric of their communities. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.”
In the current climate, Irish pubs seemingly can’t win with further news showing how a Dublin pub was charging over a tenner for pints, which sparked fear among consumers that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices and greater fear among publicans that they would have little choice unless something could be done soon.
Glazed tile, three-dimensional lettering of the word ‘Bar’, in antique Art Nouveau style on the exterior fascia of a British Pub
Why have thousands of pubs closed in Ireland?
More than 2,000 pubs in Ireland have been forced to close since 2005, according to data from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).
The research found that 2,054 pubs have ceased trading in Ireland in the past 18 years, equal to a reduction of 24% of licensed premises.
The figures, which reveal that around 114 pubs on average have closed across the country every year of the last 18 also showed that this figure has risen to 144 a year in the period between 2019 and 2023.
According to the DIGI study, every one of the 26 counties has seen the number of pubs in it decrease over the last two years in particular with the more rural counties seeing the highest closure rates.
Limerick was identified as the county with the steepest decline in the number of public houses, with a drop of 35.6% since 2005.
Roscommon saw a drop of 31.9% and Cork now has 31.4% fewer pubs.
The research highlighted how Dublin was the least impacted, with a decrease of just 2.8%, followed by Meath which saw a 6.7% drop in pubs and Wicklow with 8.9% fewer watering holes.
Professor Tony Foley, economist and associate professor emeritus at Dublin City University, who carried out the analysis for DIGI, told RTÉ: “This analysis verifies the consistent trend we have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains.”
DIGI also outlined how rising costs in the industry, including energy and insurance, were considered a challenge.
The research additionally included surveying 600 pubs and restaurants to find out the biggest factors impacting each of them and discovered that nearly one in four had seen their business costs rise 20-30% over the past two years.
Added to this, 15% admitted that their business costs had climbed by 40% over the same timeframe, not helped by the fact that there was a downward trend in drinking.
Foley explained: “Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products.”
Giving context to the knock on effect of the closures, DIGI chair and communications and corporate affairs director at Irish Distillers, Kathryn D’Arcy added: “Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people which is 8.3% of all employees in the country. These people and the businesses they work for are part of the economic and social fabric of their communities. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.”
In the current climate, Irish pubs seemingly can’t win with further news showing how a Dublin pub was charging over a tenner for pints, which sparked fear among consumers that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices and greater fear among publicans that they would have little choice unless something could be done soon.
Glazed tile, three-dimensional lettering of the word ‘Bar’, in antique Art Nouveau style on the exterior fascia of a British Pub
Why have thousands of pubs closed in Ireland?
More than 2,000 pubs in Ireland have been forced to close since 2005, according to data from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).
The research found that 2,054 pubs have ceased trading in Ireland in the past 18 years, equal to a reduction of 24% of licensed premises.
The figures, which reveal that around 114 pubs on average have closed across the country every year of the last 18 also showed that this figure has risen to 144 a year in the period between 2019 and 2023.
According to the DIGI study, every one of the 26 counties has seen the number of pubs in it decrease over the last two years in particular with the more rural counties seeing the highest closure rates.
Limerick was identified as the county with the steepest decline in the number of public houses, with a drop of 35.6% since 2005.
Roscommon saw a drop of 31.9% and Cork now has 31.4% fewer pubs.
The research highlighted how Dublin was the least impacted, with a decrease of just 2.8%, followed by Meath which saw a 6.7% drop in pubs and Wicklow with 8.9% fewer watering holes.
Professor Tony Foley, economist and associate professor emeritus at Dublin City University, who carried out the analysis for DIGI, told RTÉ: “This analysis verifies the consistent trend we have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains.”
DIGI also outlined how rising costs in the industry, including energy and insurance, were considered a challenge.
The research additionally included surveying 600 pubs and restaurants to find out the biggest factors impacting each of them and discovered that nearly one in four had seen their business costs rise 20-30% over the past two years.
Added to this, 15% admitted that their business costs had climbed by 40% over the same timeframe, not helped by the fact that there was a downward trend in drinking.
Foley explained: “Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products.”
Giving context to the knock on effect of the closures, DIGI chair and communications and corporate affairs director at Irish Distillers, Kathryn D’Arcy added: “Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people which is 8.3% of all employees in the country. These people and the businesses they work for are part of the economic and social fabric of their communities. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.”
In the current climate, Irish pubs seemingly can’t win with further news showing how a Dublin pub was charging over a tenner for pints, which sparked fear among consumers that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices and greater fear among publicans that they would have little choice unless something could be done soon.
Glazed tile, three-dimensional lettering of the word ‘Bar’, in antique Art Nouveau style on the exterior fascia of a British Pub
Why have thousands of pubs closed in Ireland?
More than 2,000 pubs in Ireland have been forced to close since 2005, according to data from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).
The research found that 2,054 pubs have ceased trading in Ireland in the past 18 years, equal to a reduction of 24% of licensed premises.
The figures, which reveal that around 114 pubs on average have closed across the country every year of the last 18 also showed that this figure has risen to 144 a year in the period between 2019 and 2023.
According to the DIGI study, every one of the 26 counties has seen the number of pubs in it decrease over the last two years in particular with the more rural counties seeing the highest closure rates.
Limerick was identified as the county with the steepest decline in the number of public houses, with a drop of 35.6% since 2005.
Roscommon saw a drop of 31.9% and Cork now has 31.4% fewer pubs.
The research highlighted how Dublin was the least impacted, with a decrease of just 2.8%, followed by Meath which saw a 6.7% drop in pubs and Wicklow with 8.9% fewer watering holes.
Professor Tony Foley, economist and associate professor emeritus at Dublin City University, who carried out the analysis for DIGI, told RTÉ: “This analysis verifies the consistent trend we have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains.”
DIGI also outlined how rising costs in the industry, including energy and insurance, were considered a challenge.
The research additionally included surveying 600 pubs and restaurants to find out the biggest factors impacting each of them and discovered that nearly one in four had seen their business costs rise 20-30% over the past two years.
Added to this, 15% admitted that their business costs had climbed by 40% over the same timeframe, not helped by the fact that there was a downward trend in drinking.
Foley explained: “Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products.”
Giving context to the knock on effect of the closures, DIGI chair and communications and corporate affairs director at Irish Distillers, Kathryn D’Arcy added: “Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people which is 8.3% of all employees in the country. These people and the businesses they work for are part of the economic and social fabric of their communities. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.”
In the current climate, Irish pubs seemingly can’t win with further news showing how a Dublin pub was charging over a tenner for pints, which sparked fear among consumers that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices and greater fear among publicans that they would have little choice unless something could be done soon.
Glazed tile, three-dimensional lettering of the word ‘Bar’, in antique Art Nouveau style on the exterior fascia of a British Pub
Why have thousands of pubs closed in Ireland?
More than 2,000 pubs in Ireland have been forced to close since 2005, according to data from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI).
The research found that 2,054 pubs have ceased trading in Ireland in the past 18 years, equal to a reduction of 24% of licensed premises.
The figures, which reveal that around 114 pubs on average have closed across the country every year of the last 18 also showed that this figure has risen to 144 a year in the period between 2019 and 2023.
According to the DIGI study, every one of the 26 counties has seen the number of pubs in it decrease over the last two years in particular with the more rural counties seeing the highest closure rates.
Limerick was identified as the county with the steepest decline in the number of public houses, with a drop of 35.6% since 2005.
Roscommon saw a drop of 31.9% and Cork now has 31.4% fewer pubs.
The research highlighted how Dublin was the least impacted, with a decrease of just 2.8%, followed by Meath which saw a 6.7% drop in pubs and Wicklow with 8.9% fewer watering holes.
Professor Tony Foley, economist and associate professor emeritus at Dublin City University, who carried out the analysis for DIGI, told RTÉ: “This analysis verifies the consistent trend we have been seeing with pub numbers in every part of the country. There is clearly a variation on closures between counties which broadly sees rural areas adversely impacted. The continuing decline is taking place against a backdrop of societal change and cost of business strains.”
DIGI also outlined how rising costs in the industry, including energy and insurance, were considered a challenge.
The research additionally included surveying 600 pubs and restaurants to find out the biggest factors impacting each of them and discovered that nearly one in four had seen their business costs rise 20-30% over the past two years.
Added to this, 15% admitted that their business costs had climbed by 40% over the same timeframe, not helped by the fact that there was a downward trend in drinking.
Foley explained: “Consumption of alcohol has notably decreased, how we socialise is changing, the types of drinks we consume are changing, particularly the rise of low-alcohol and alcohol-free products.”
Giving context to the knock on effect of the closures, DIGI chair and communications and corporate affairs director at Irish Distillers, Kathryn D’Arcy added: “Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people which is 8.3% of all employees in the country. These people and the businesses they work for are part of the economic and social fabric of their communities. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.”
In the current climate, Irish pubs seemingly can’t win with further news showing how a Dublin pub was charging over a tenner for pints, which sparked fear among consumers that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices and greater fear among publicans that they would have little choice unless something could be done soon.
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