Half of all publicans have experienced a fall in turnover in the past year - particularly in rural areas.

A new survey by AIB found that one in four pubs have reduced their week day opening hours in the last year, rising to one in three rural pubs.

The study found that pub-goers are getting olderm with only a third of customers under 30 years of age.

The survey found there has been an overall 34% drop in on-trade sales in the last five years, with half of pubs reporting an average 15% fall in turnover.

The top concern facing publicans is local authority rates, followed by access to cheap alcohol in supermarkets and wage costs.

The survey was conducted by Amárach Research on behalf of AIB in July. Of the 200 pubs surveyed, 75 were in Dublin, 25 in urban areas outside Dublin, and the remaining 100 were in rural areas.

Donal O’Keeffe, chief executive of the Licensed Vintners Association, said the pub sector in Ireland is being rationalised.

“There is simply not enough consumer demand to support the 7,400 pubs plus another 1,000 hotels nationally," Mr O'Keeffe said.