Louth President Joe Biden chatting to Bobby Wain and Jerome McAteer when he visited McAteers The Foodhouse in April 2023 Bobby Wain with US president Joe Biden in the much-loved cafe Ryan Tubridy with Jerome McAteer at the cafe. Photo: Facebook/The Food House President Joe biden poses with staff in The Food House, Clanbrassil Steet, Dundalk Jerome McAteer, McAteer's Food House introduces some of his staff to President Joe Biden and Tánaiste Michéal Martin. The Dundalk cafe visited by US president Joe Biden during his trip to Ireland in April last year has ceased trading, with owners blaming rising costs for the tough decision to close the doors of the popular Clanbrassil Street establishment.
In a heartfelt post on social media, owners Jerome McAteer and Bobby Wain of McAteers The Foodhouse and Catering and said: “It has been a difficult few years (as it has been for everyone else) and has become harder by the day to keep the ship afloat. Brexit did not help and Covid changed so much.” They said that the challenges facing the hospitality industry, such as high food costs, rising energy bills, packaging and just basic supplies, ”together with this Government’s insistence on keeping the Vat rate at 13.
5pc instead of 9pc and all the extras they have thrown onto the small employer, has made it impossible for us to continue trading”. They said that as much as they would love to stay open, there is only so much they can charge for a sandwich before it becomes a total .