Dear Member,
It has been a long and difficult wait for us all, but unfortunately, despite the success of the national inoculation rate and the lifting of many of the restrictions for the hospitality sector on Oct 22nd, some restrictions still apply. There has been much confusion over the last week as to the detail of these restrictions and whom they apply to exactly, but we have been advised by the Licenced Vintners Association that the government guidelines we need to adhere to until the Spring of 2022 are as follows:
- To gain entry to the club for bar/hospitality services, all persons must be fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 6 months and must provide their Covid Certificate and ID to prove that. This must be checked by the Club at the point of entry. For people whom have been checked before and we know to be vaccinated, they do not need to be checked again and may be let in directly.
- To avail of a drink in the bar, all persons must be seated and table service will apply where a server will take your order and delivery your drinks to your table. Standing at pod tables is not permitted. Congregating at the bar is not permitted.
- As a result of this week’s discussions with government and industry representatives however, you are now permitted to form a socially distanced queue at the designated queuing areas in the bar to order drinks, but must return and consume those drinks seated at your tables.
- Masks must be worn when circulating, but once seated at your table, may be removed.
- Common practice safety measures, such as washing your hands, using hand sanitizers, keeping your distance and appropriate coughing/sneezing ethic are all still expected.
The Zurich Room and Academy Suite (the gym) are being occupied by our vital corporate customers and sponsors for their hospitality services and have to abide by these rules also, leaving only the Members Bar available to you for a drink inside.
The consequences of these restrictions for the Autumn internationals means the members bar is limited to a capacity of 116 people and a ticketing system is being introduced. I will be heading this ticketing committee and like in a normal year when applying for match tickets, a draw system will take place. There are going to be many members therefore who will not be successful getting access to the club and members bar for these games and please understand this is due to Covid and government restrictions and not us.
Entry will be permitted to ticket holders only with strictly no exceptions. These days operationally are already enormously challenging to manage for the team and with these added steps, makes it even more difficult, so please don’t attempt to abuse this system on the day. This will end soon.
As an alternative for you though, we have an extensive outdoor service plan in place. We have rented a 1,200 square foot open walled (50%) marquee in the back car park with a fully operational bar sponsored very generously by Heineken. Along with some other Heineken gazebos, the awnings alongside the gym, outside furniture, a hot food station and plenty of pod tables, we can accommodate another 350 people in this outside space and many more if it doesn’t rain. The LVA have advised that Covid cert checking is not required for persons availing of these areas nor trace and trace or mask wearing, but all other common practice measures are. Wash your hands, use the sanitizers, cough/sneeze into your elbow and keep your distance. We encourage people not to stay if they are not comfortable in the environment.
In order to be entered into the draw for members bar access, please confirm by email to Elayne which games you would like. Requests will be considered from fully paid up members only and a maximum of 2 tickets per person will apply. We encourage you to bring a member though rather than a guest so as many members can available of the space. The closing date for such requests will be 5pm next Tuesday, November 2nd.
Successful members will then be contacted and issued ticket(s) and they must be picked up from the office in advance of the match day so we can scan your Covid cert if required and speed up the access process for you on the day. Hired security will be managing the entry process and Elayne or Michael will not be able to override this system. Once you depart the building, provide your ticket to the security desk at the bottom of the stairs so that it can be used by other members waiting to get in after you.
I know this is far from ideal – due to government directives we have no choice but to be 100% compliant and I hope you can bear with us as we try to navigate our way through the next few months.
Should you need to contact me directly, please call me on my mobile, 086 8141284.
Yours sincerely,
Colin Goode
President 2020-22
