Clare VFI Chair Claims Pubs Now Venues For Drug-Taking Amid Rampant Closures

The Clare VFI chair claims pubs in this county have been reduced to venues for drug-taking. Recent analysis from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland 96 pubs in Clare have closed their doors since 2005 with 14 of these ceasing operations in the last year. Nationwide, the numbers of pubs has dropped by more than a fifth since 2005 with an average of 152 closing each year. Clare Vintners' Federation of Ireland chair Charlie O'Meara says having a controlled area for alcohol consumption is preferable to the current pervasiveness of drug use among young people.