Local Bars Preparing for a Busy St. Paddy's Day

Thursday, 17 March 2022 at 05:50

Bars and restaurants across Oxford County will be packed for the first semi-normal St. Patrick's Day in two years.

OXFORD COUNTY - Sunshine and loosened COVID-19 restrictions provide the ingredients for a memorable St. Paddy's Day.

Local bars in Oxford County are expecting a busy day, as people celebrate the first real St. Paddy's Day since 2019. Harriett Culley says it will be all hands on deck for staff at the Charles Dickens Pub in downtown Woodstock.

"We will be making sure we have extra staff because we are expecting a busy day. We have some old staff, who have been around forever and they are coming back and know what to expect on days like this and it will be a learning experience for our new staff who have never experienced a busy St. Paddy's Day."

Restaurants and bars have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic. They have been forced to close and shift to takeout only on several occasions. Vaccine passports and capacity limits also didn't help. Culley says they did have St. Paddy's Day last year, but it wasn't the same.

"So last year was difficult, we had a 50% capacity limit and were constantly counting numbers and trying to make sure we followed the rules. It was nowhere close to the normal amount of people we would normally have in, so it was something different for sure, with the socially distanced tables and capacity limits but it was nice to see all those regulars back in the pub."

She adds they're excited to welcome people back as the restrictions on capacity limits and vaccination passports have been lifted.

Woodstock Police and the Oxford OPP are reminding everyone to have a safe ride home and you can expect roaming R.I.D.E. programs throughout the day.

The OPP offer the following safety tips for St. Paddy's Day:

- Pour properly measured drinks, don't free pour or serve doubles.
- Serve drinks rather than having a self-serve bar.
- Don't serve alcohol to an already intoxicated person.
- Offer non - alcoholic and or low alcohol beverages.
- Monitor how much your guests are drinking.
- Provide food and snacks.
- Keep the phone numbers of local cab companies on hand and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.

Are YOU planning on celebrating #StPatricksDay If so, please do so responsibly! If you decide to drive while impaired by alcohol and drugs, I can guarantee you that the luck of the Irish will NOT be on your side! #dontdrinkanddrive @maddcanada @NorfolkCountyCA #NorfolkOPP ^es pic.twitter.com/dKFc3znZr1
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) March 16, 2022