Having already suffered from the smoking ban and reductions in the drink driving limit, the beleaguered pubs of Ireland have one more problem to deal with during the recession – The Exit Factor. Publicans are reporting that patrons are now going out later on a Saturday night in order to watch TV talent show The X Factor at home.

"I couldn't care a less about The X Factor but it's taken a chunk of my business," said Bernard Molloy, owner of the Solas Bar in Dublin. "The fact that people are staying in to watch the show means they are going out two hours later on a Saturday night. We're calling it The Exit Factor: when you come into the bar early on a Saturday night and the place is empty until after The X Factor finishes at 10pm.That's if people go out at all. The latest fad seems to be people having X Factor parties in their homes and not going out".

Molloy says he knows other publicans who think the only option may be to screen the reality show in their bars.

"I wouldn't do it myself but some pub owners are saying that if the Grimes twins stay in X Factor for another week, they're going to have put the shows on in their bars so as not to be left out. It will be pretty terrible for people who might leave their homes to get away from X Factor on telly and find it's showing in every pub they go into," said Molloy.

The Exit Factor also seems to be hitting DVD rentals.

"There's no question X Factor is having an effect on our business, particularly among young women who have a higher propensity to rent DVDs," said Xtra-vision's Paul Cullen. "In England it's just on ITV but in Ireland you have it on TV3. The Sunday programme is doing as well as the Saturday programme. Add the fact that the show's biggest stars, the Grimes twins, are from Lucan, and it's hard to compete. "

Last weekend in the Republic, The X Factor drew an audience of 570,000 on Saturday night and 672,000 on Sunday.