Disgruntled publicans who secured restrictions on the Eyre Square Christmas Market beer tent this year have vowed to continue their push against the venue next year if their “concerns aren’t addressed”.

Johnny Duggan, who owns Taylor’s Bar on Dominick Street, and Thai Garden restaurant at Spanish Arch, told the Connacht Tribune that he and a number of other business owners in the city were ‘tired’ of being ignored.

Last week, it was confirmed that the city’s Christmas Market would proceed this year – but one-litre beer steins will be off the menu at the Bierkeller from Monday to Thursday, and while the market will open on November 7, the popular beer tent can only begin operations on November 14.

The market’s operators, Milestone Inventive, confirmed that the 15th annual market in Eyre Square would open in two weeks with, “regretably”, a number of restrictions.

“Following objections from a small cohort of local publicans during the licence application process, certain conditions were imposed by the court,” said Milestone’s MD, Katie Shackleton.

This week, Mr Duggan said he, along with Gary Monroe of Monroe’s Tavern and three other publicans, went to court to object to the licence for the beer tent and took issue with Milestone’s description of them as “a small cohort of publicans”.

He said Fergus McGinn of McGinn’s in Woodquay was there ‘representing a number of businesses’ and between those who were in court, “we own and operate eight bars in the city” and “our application to the court had far more support from publicans that weren’t named”.

In response to queries from the Tribune, Milestone Managing Director Katie Shackleton and Simon Heslip of the Róisín Dubh – the beer tent bar operators – said it was their position that ‘it was wrong for a very small cohort to be able to hold the market to ransom and dictate the terms of trade’.

“On numerous occasions, this cohort has claimed to have the support of many other publicans, but tellingly, none have ever emerged or contacted us with concerns. On the contrary, we are hugely grateful to the myriad of local restaurants, bars and hotels who actively support us each year,” said a statement from Ms Shackleton and Mr Heaslip.

Mr Duggan said he asked organisers on a number of occasions to curtail the market’s bar, due to what he argued was a negative economic impact on bars in the city, but they declined stating that the market’s viability was at risk.

“We, as a group, were left with no option but to challenge the licence on legal grounds,” he said.

Mr Duggan said he accepted the agreed compromise this year, but promised “we will unite against the current model even more next year unless there is major change”.

The market operators said reducing or removing the bar would have a serious impact on their “ability to sustain” the market.

“This sets a very sad precedent, where any publican not directly benefitting from an event in Galway can go to court and object to that event, despite it being beneficial for the city,” they said.

Mr Duggan said they had brought in former Mayor, Cllr Peter Keane, as a mediator before going to court but a compromise was not reached. Milestone confirmed they agreed to this in ‘good faith’ but they could not accept the publicans’ “unreasonable demands”.

Mr Duggan called on Galway City Council to step in and contribute to the market to ensure there was no requirement for a beer tent that “competes with restaurants and bars” in the city.

Other councils provided money for this but in Galway, ‘it is our businesses that are funding the Christmas Market through lost turnovers’.

“Most restaurants will tell you that as soon as the market opens, they take a big hit in turnover,” said Mr Duggan.

Milestone and Mr Heaslip said the Council had made clear that it was not going to fund the market, but was “massively supportive” of it.

The Tribune understands that Milestone is required pay in the region of €20,000 for the use of Eyre Square to run the market.

“We work with them year in, year out to deliver Ireland’s premier Christmas event which is both free to the public and without cost to Galway City Council,” said the statement from Ms Shackleton and Mr Heaslip.

“The fees paid by the bar to the market operators are an essential part of the events revenue, added to which the presence of the Christmas bierkeller is an integral part of the events festive atmosphere and offering to the public,” they said.

As a result of the court challenge, and because of time constraints, they accepted the “onerous restrictions” this year to ensure the market went ahead, continued the statement.

Mr Duggan said “this behemoth of a bar” was damaging to ratepayers’ businesses and vowed that next year, they would “not just use the licensing court to reach our desired outcome”.

Pictured: Galway’s Christmas Market…row over beer tent.