Ireland's late-night bar and nightclub openings fall by 1,000

Late-night openings at bars and nightclubs fell by almost 1,000 nights last year, according to new figures from the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), which is calling on the Government to cut the cost of late-night licences.

Late bars and nightclubs across Ireland operated for 30,651 extended nights in 2025, down from 31,601 the previous year.

The latest figure is also almost 23% below the level recorded in 2018, when there were 37,597 late-night openings nationwide.

The number of extended nights has fallen almost every year since a post-pandemic recovery in 2022, when there were 35,942 openings.

That figure fell to 34,064 in 2023, 31,601 in 2024 and 30,651 last year.

Dublin has also seen a decline, with late bars and nightclubs recording 12,726 extended nights in 2025, a fall of 336 on the previous year. The capital recorded 14,343 late-night openings in 2018.

The figures are based on Special Exemption Orders (SEOs), which late bars and nightclubs must obtain from the courts to extend their opening hours.

(Photo: RollingNews.ie)

An SEO allows venues to operate for an additional two hours, until 1.30am from Monday to Thursday and 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, venues can remain open until 1am.

Venues must pay €205 for every night they seek an SEO, comprising €150 in court fees and €55 in excise, in addition to legal costs.

The LVA said a venue operating three nights a week would therefore face an annual bill of almost €32,000, excluding solicitor fees.

It is calling on the Government to reduce the SEO charge to €100 per night as part of Budget 2027.

“The number of late bars and nightclubs providing late night socialising continues to plunge in Ireland,” said LVA CEO Donall O’Keeffe.

“Around the country, there were almost one thousand fewer late nights last year than there were available the year before.”

O’Keeffe attributed the decline partly to the cost of operating late-night venues, including the expense associated with SEOs.

“Late bars and nightclubs should not have to pay more than €100 per night for a SEO to be put in place,” he said.

The LVA estimates that reducing the SEO charge would cost the Government around €3.2m annually.

O’Keeffe also criticised delays to the proposed Sale of Alcohol Bill, which he said would simplify the late-night licensing process.

He warned that without action, the number of late-night openings could continue to decline, affecting the wider night-time economy and reducing options for customers.

*This article was originally published on BusinessPlus.ie.