Wednesday, January 29, 2020 > 13
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KY CLUB REDEVELOPMENT
Official Opening CELEBRATE WITH OUR
Members’ Promo!ons
FROM WED 29th JAN
MEMBER DRAWS
MEMBER HAPPY HOUR
Sunday Members’ Draw
MEMBER MEAL DEAL
Great member promotions throughout the week
$3000
Wednesday 29th Jan to Sunday 2nd Feb 82 Allan Street, Kyabram
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www.kyabramclub.com.au
14 < Wednesday, January 29, 2020
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Ky Club unveils its complete new look And it’s getting rave reviews FROM the realigned entrance to the spacious new lounge, the Kyabram Club redevelopment has been unveiled to rave reviews.
“The whole club has had a makeover, new carpet all the way through, new paint, new ceilings,” Greg said. But agreed the new look’s standout feature is the lounge area.
According to Club manager Greg Ryan the changes were needed to not For the !rst time guests and members can actually lounge instead just rejuvenate the look of the Club of having to choose between a dining for members and patrons but also to table or the bar. provide our guests with a more functional hub and “It is a nice relaxing lounge area with a new ambience that is proving meeting place.
extremely popular,” Greg said. “The colours always create plenty of discussion, some people love them, some people don’t, but that’s the nature of the beast these days.” There are now six different types of seating available, from the sports bar’s high chairs to the lounge’s couches and the bistro’s tables. The one feature with which Greg is really delighted to see in operation is
the new entrance way. “I think the entrance to the club is much more appealing, both from the outside and when you !rst step in — and leading directly into the lounge gives a good feel and opens the club right up,” he said. Removing the original two doorways was a safety decision for the Club, a single entrance and exit point assisting them in monitoring the
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Continued from page 15
comings and goings of guests.
throughout construction.
“We’ve got to make sure everyone is doing the right thing,” Greg said. Patrons will be pleased to know the circular bar at the centre of the club remained — untouched and as good as ever. “We are very pleased we were able to keep the bar in its existing form because it is one of the most practical ones around,” Greg said of the 16-year-old wood-topped bar. No important walls were ripped down in the renovation, but a few were extended, giving the back of house and o ce areas more room. The seven-month-long $2 million project was completed in careful stages around the club, enabling the business to keep running
Greg said there were “some logistics” to juggling both a working construction site and functioning Club such as dust and noise. “Now that we can see the result it’s been well worth the pain and inconvenience everyone has put up with and we appreciate everyone’s understanding,” Greg said. “The tradesmen have been very good to work with.” The hospitality veteran said the !nished product had “to be seen to be believed”. “It is something of which the Board is very proud and the feedback we’ve got to date has been fantastic,” Greg added.
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16 < Wednesday, January 29, 2020
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Ky Club kitchen completes the occasion FOR 364 days a year the Kyabram Club’s kitchen is open, serving lunch and dinner — and never missing a beat thanks to a seamless team. Catering manager Michelle Taylor is responsible for the kitchen and says it all comes down to the people she works with. “We’ve got a great team here. A lot of us have worked together for a very long time,” Michelle said. “We all do a really good job in the kitchen and we’ve just come off the busiest summer the kitchen’s ever had; so the team has been fabulous.” Open every day but Christmas, Michelle said the restaurant has a massive lunch trade driven by families, seniors and groups.
The menu includes four specialty nights and the ever popular $10 lunches. “We de!nitely give decent sizes for the $10 lunches, you wouldn’t be disappointed that’s for sure. We also offer half-sized portions for people who can’t eat the full-sized meals, so we cater for everyone,” Michelle said. “A lot of our food is gluten-free, there are vegan options, we are always happy to speak to the customer and work out what’s right for them. “Because there is such a huge varietyy of dietary requirements these days I often come out and talk to the customers to discuss what’s right for them.”
Included in the new renovations is a larger cool room for the catering “We get a lot of returning clients here, team, something they needed as I might see some people three times the restaurant becomes busier. a week, which is good, it means you’re doing something right I guess,” “People can eat in any of our she said. areas, so we do a lot of meals in the lounge area and sports “We use a lot of fresh produce which is what makes our meals so special.” bar now,” Michelle said. Kyabram Club sources its meats from a Ky butcher, its greens from Echuca and fruit and vegetables from Bendigo.
The additional space has added an extra 50 seats to the club’s dining g capacity, a “great” change according to Michelle.
CONGRATULATIONS to management and staff and the greater Kyabram community on their new refurbished facilities. A huge thank you to the club for having us brick this beautiful building. The curved walls may have deterred others but myself and my team love a challenge.
It has been a pleasure to be involved in this project.
I would also like to wish the Kyabram Club all the best for the future.
– Marc You can follow us on Facebook ! and view some of our other great achievements.
AUSELEC • HEATNCOOLIT 4 Jordan Street, Cobram (03) 5872 2136
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Different furniture, same faces Mick Simmonds has been bar manager at the Kyabram Club for more than a decade now. AND while he’s seen renovations and changes to the venue in the past, Mick says these are the best yet. “The Ky Club has the combination of everything you want here and the renovations have really opened it all up,” bar manager Mick Simmonds said. “The new furniture is great and we have received nothing but good reports. With a new lounge area for patrons to relax in and a friendly line of families and regulars coming in each day, Mick says the Ky Club’s most important asset doesn’t need an upgrade at all. “It’s important that we remain family-friendly because people like coming here for good food and functions and the fact it’s a quiet, comfortable place. “People feel safe in this environment and it’s important not just for our regulars and newcomers but for our staff too. “Because you can have a drink anywhere, but they come back
here because of the people; it’s a combination of setting and good company so you get to form a good relationship with the regulars”. Another familiar face around the club more than two decades of experience at the Kyabram Club, its most senior member of staff (in experience, not in age), Julie Febey thinks she knows the secret to the Ky Club’s popularity.
been a place where people come for a safe and secure place to meet up. “Our lounge area is becoming more prominent and the meals and function areas have been really popular over the Christmas and New Year’s period. Club manager Greg Ryan
The food, the facilities and the people. “I think members and visitors enjoy coming here because of the great food, the fantastic atmosphere and some even say the friendly staff”. “We’ve always had a low staff turnover and it’s a great place to work, which is probably why I’ve been coming back in for the last twentyone years. “This renovation has been the biggest change and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback. “It’s like the old girl needed a bit of a facelift — a bit of TLC. “But the Kyabram Club has always
Bar manager Mick Simmonds
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Congratulations to the Kyabram Club on their recent redevelopment. For the greater community of Kyabram and surrounds to enjoy for many years to come. We thank you for your ongoing support
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18 < Wednesday, January 29, 2020
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The heartbeat of your community Membership is your ticket to everything Kyabram — including its history. THE Kyabram Club plays an important role in town, both as a meeting place, community centre and a piece of history. Club manager Greg Ryan has been in his job three and a half years and says he’s heard a lot of stories. “Any of the locals you bump into down here could tell you about the history of the Club,” Greg said. “It used to be an old hospital, then a gentlemen’s club, then in 1984 they had a !re and rebuilt it.” Ken Johnstone has been drinking at the Club for 15 years — three more years and his drinking habit will be of legal drinking age itself. The 64-year-old has seen the Club burn down, rebuild and expand. He was even born in the Club. “It was a hospital in 1955, I was born here,” Kenny said.
“If I die here I don’t have to go far, the cemetery is just down the road,” he joked. After the Club burned down in 1984 Kenny fondly remembers how the bartenders kept operating in tents in the courtyard so the Club could keep its liquor license. “When they were rebuilding there were marquees outside we used to drink in,” he said. “That was the good days because you could see everyone supporting it, sitting outside in the hot sun.” Julie Febey is the Club’s longest serving employee, working in their administration o ce for 21 years and recently becoming assistant manager. “It is a really good place to work, I wouldn’t have been here 21 years if I didn’t enjoy coming to work,” Julie said.
Membership
Take advantage of happy hours, meal specials and discounts at the bar & bistro and be in the draw to win our Members’ Badge Draw every Friday night.
Our Courtesy Bus is available Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5pm
the Club after his old drinking spot, the Bluey, closed.
“It has de!nitely grown since I started coming — we get people from the RV shows, heaps of motor and tennis Julie said taking over the kitchen half clubs come down here. a decade ago was a big move for the Greg said the support locals such community-owned Club, giving them as George offered the Club was greater control over the operation. outstanding. Another big change for the Club “We have a really strong membership was when they purchased the local rate within a 15–20 kilometre caravan park and began linking radius — our visitor numbers are the two businesses together with increasing … we’ve been doing a discount prices and a courtesy bus. bit of entertainment and more Mike Sweeney who managed the promotion recently which is getting Kyabram Club for 18 years shifted people through the door.” to manage the caravan park four years ago.
“The purchase of the caravan park has been great for Kyabram because people will stay and spend their money in town,” Julie said. George Trott is a regular face around
67-year-old George said the new music nights were attracting more people.
“Somedays you can’t move in here,” he said. “Especially when the music is on.”
Booking a function
$20 for 3 years or $10 for 1 year
Courtesy bus
“When I !rst started we had a Chinese restaurant in the Club, then the kitchen was leased out for a few years until we started our in-house catering.”
The Club has the capability to provide a room speci!cally for that smaller meeting or discussion up to a private room with seating and dining for up to 150 guests. Ultimately our entire dining area is available for private use and is capable of holding 250 people, all with dining seating.
The playground
The Club encourages families to feel at home using the Club’s facilities and provides a secured playground ensuring our junior visitors enjoy their trip to the Club just as much as the Mums and Dads, it offers 24-hour video surveillance, soft-fall coverage, covered sun-shade and is fully fenced. This allows family members to relax and feel comfortable whilst enjoying the Club’s amenities.
82 Allan Street, Kyabram VIC 3620 | (03) 5852 2431
www.kyabramclub.com.au
Insitu Group are proud to have been part of the Kyabram Club redevelopment. It has been a privilege to bring the Kyabram Club and Abeo Architects vision for the club to fruition.