Matters of
PUB-LICinterest! BY LLOYD GORMAN
WELCOME BACK! After being left with no choice but to close in March Perth’s pubs - including all its Irish pubs - and hotels were able to allow punters back in through the doors in early June, a welcome reunion of customer and service across the state. Restrictions had eased a bit before that but to get into a pub you had to book a slot and sit down with a meal to get a drink. Customers had to sign in and leave their details for contact tracing and staff had to get to grips with now cleaning and Covid conditions. Many establishments - including the Irish Club, JB O’Reillys and Murphys in Manduarah - used the shutdown period to freshen up their interior decoration and toilets. The Kelp Bar in Kidogo in Fremantle couldn’t operate but owner Joanna was able to get a restaurant licence which meant the contents of the Kelp Bar became the furniture for a series of "Soirées" happening in the main section of the art house. The Soirées series - which includes home cooked dinners and live entertainment and musicians - has proved to be popular and is set to continue throughout July. No doubt regulars and new customers alike will be a welcome sight to publicans and staff who have done it tough over the last few months. See the next spread for happy snaps. Slainte! THE IRISH SCENE | 53
The day it started to go back to normal for many establishments
The past, present and future walked into a bar. It was tense. Comic Sans, Helvetica and Times New Roman walk into a bar. The bartender yells ‘Get out! We don’t serve your type in here!’
