AUSTRALIAN
AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
Vol. 37 No. 4 - June 2020
Open for Business What in-venue
trading looks like now
IN THIS ISSUE: NEW BUSINESS MODELS | PATRON ENGAGEMENT | BREWERY SUPPORT
Your go-to hub for resources, news, support and insights for pub professionals throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
www.theshout.com.au/stronger-together
#STRONGERTOGETHER SUPPORTING PUBS AND BARS
Thanks to our valued partners
MY MARKETING DEPARTMENT
CONTENTS & ED’S NOTE TAG
WE ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING Get the facts DrinkWise.org.au
Contents 6 News: What’s happening in pubs
across Australia. 8 Community Table: How Hotel Bruny
brought a small island together in isolation. 10 Marketing: Why its important to be
communicating with your patrons right now. 12 Business models: Pub operations will Ed’s Pick
P12 20 Breweries and pubs: How pub operators
have been backed by breweries during the shutdown. 24 Mental health: We highlight the
avenues for coping with caused by the shutdown. 26 Online training: Have some time on your
hands? Freshen up your skills online. 28 Live sports: It’s more important than
have to adapt in the COVID-safe era
ever to be broadcasting sport in
and for some time to come.
your venue.
Ed’s Note Vanessa Cavasinni P: 02 8586 6201 E: vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au
PUBLISHED BY: Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419 PUBLISHER: Paul Wootton EDITOR: Vanessa Cavasinni vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER: Jason Wild Tel: 02 8586 6213 jwild@intermedia.com.au GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP: Shane T. Williams GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY: Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER: Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTION RATES
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Cover venue: Smith St Social in Darwin. Shot by: Faith von Lit
4 | Australian Hotelier
Average Total Distribution: 4,743 AMAA/CAB Yearly Audit Period ending 31 March 2019.
“TOGETHER, WE MADE MY FAVOURITE BOURBON” MAT THE W MCCONAUGHE Y
In the
news
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PUBS ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Venues re-open nationwide
New trading practices on display at Smith St Social in Darwin.
As COVID-19 restrictions slowly ease across the country, some venues have begun to re-open.
AFTER A tough few months of restricted
for the group said they couldn’t have asked
the industry, a move that was received well
trade during the COVID-19 on-premise
for a better response from patrons and they
in states like NSW and Queensland on their
shutdown, pubs across the country were
even had the Chief Minister Michael Gunner
first respective weekends of reopening.
finally dealt some good news and allowed
pour their first beer.
to re-open, albeit under strict conditions.
“It was like Christmas had arrived but with
They said: “Our local customers were
a social distance twist! Patrons respected all
Each state is reopening at a different
particularly keen to get back to the pub
messaging and really made that extra effort
pace with a different roadmap and set of
and we really appreciate their support.”
in washing/sanitising hands, staying in their
guidelines, but as of 1 June, the on-premise
Open AVC venues across the nation are
social bubble and being that little bit more
is officially open in some form for the whole
accepting bookings while also keeping
country. Although some operators have not
space free for walk-ins and this was even
yet commenced trading, those who have are
the case while 10-patron limits were in
Carrington also experienced encouraging
remaining patient and positive for continued
effect. Venues have been configured to
results right from their first weekend of
improvements in future.
comply with social distancing guidelines,
reopening. Owner Naomi Ross said they
and increased cleaning and hygiene
initially opened for walk-ins only, but
area of the country to allow pubs to reopen,
measures have been introduced. Overall,
when they did open booking availability
had a great first weekend back according to
the spokesperson said, they’re trying to
four days later, they were immediately
Australian Venue Co (AVC). A spokesperson
help move things in the right direction for
inundated with support.
The Northern Territory, which was the first
6 | Australian Hotelier
patient with the team,” they said. Elsewhere in NSW, Surry Hills pub The
NEWS
The Carrington has also changed the way they do things in the new normal of the pandemic, limiting guest visits to one hour to maximise table turnover, thoroughly cleaning tables between guests and generally stepping up cleaning and hygiene
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measures with sanitiser and personal cutlery and sauces for every table. From the start it went well, and Ross said at the
response. They’ve been missing the chance to socialise and relax, without having to clean up
time: “We are consistently maxed out at the 10
afterwards - not to mention a draught beer and
people limit. There are only a few quieter spots,
some nice wines to choose from! The feedback
the 5-6pm weekdays, and then trade dropping off
following their meals has also been wonderful,
quickly after the last booking of the night.”
they’ve missed the pub,” Laundy said.
“The food spend has gone up per person for
The high demand from NSW patrons continues as
the obvious reason that food must be ordered for
restrictions are lifted further in the state, meaning
patrons to have a drink - instead of 30 to 40 per cent
great things for pubs and their staff. In fact, AHA
of people ordering food it is now 100 per cent.”
NSW said that from 1 June, over half of the industry’s
“Attention to hygiene is noticeable with patrons
workforce would be back in the job. That’s a huge
taking advantage of the bottles of hand sanitiser
uplift from the 94 per cent of staff stood down or
on every table along with the entrance and the bar.
terminated at the start of the shutdown.
Patrons are certainly wary of getting too close to
AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said: “We
each other which we have helped them with by the
have 44,500 staff back out of our workforce of
social distancing of the tables.”
75,000 – more will be put on in coming weeks
A time limit per group is also in force at Swansea
as COVID-19 restrictions are hopefully lifted
Hotel in the Lake Macquarie region. Justine Laundy
further. This is a massive step forward for hotels
said locals have taken to the reopening well and
and the NSW economy.”
understand the changes in the pub, which includes
State governments have planned more
table service, sanitiser readily available, and
restrictions to ease over June and July, drawing
encouraging EFTPOS usage.
more pubs open with them, as publicans
“Patrons have been so excited about returning to Swansea Hotel, we are overwhelmed with the
continue to adapt to this strange new world
Click here to view pub trade around the country
caused by COVID-19. Swansea Hotel
June 2020 | 7
NEWS
Hotel Bruny’s community table Tasmania’s Bruny Island has a close-knit community of circa 600 people, so when Hotel Bruny cooked up some free food at the beginning of the shutdown, the island’s inhabitants got behind the gesture to make it a regular thing. WHEN THE shutdown was announced on 23
residents who can’t leave their homes, we’ve had
March, Dave Gunton, owner of Hotel Bruny
hobby farmers offering up some of their produce
and his staff started freezing down stock and
we can use in meals, and now we have a backlog of
preparing the venue for the months ahead. With
people wanting to get involved. It gives you a great
some excess produce that was about to spoil,
sense of the connections made here.”
Gunton asked one of his chefs if he could whip
It’s not just residents that have got behind the
up a potato and leek soup. The amount of soup
Community Table concept – businesses have as
cooked up was so large that it took two people to
well. Local producers like Bruny Island Game Meats
get the pot off the stove. Not knowing what else
have donated 20kg of wallaby mince for meatballs,
to do with it, Gunton put the call out on social
while a local oyster farm was donating some
media for anyone on the island to come grab
produce as well. Since the concept has gathered
some free dinner to take home.
momentum through the hotel’s social media feeds,
After the success of that feed, a woman asked
Coopers have also chipped in, donating beer and
to anonymously donate $200 towards another
non-alcoholic beer so that residents can take home
free feed for the community – and so the concept
a cold beverage with their next meal.
of the weekly ‘Community Table’ was born. Since
“As you’re doing this, you’re building not just a
then, Gunton has received donations from Bruny
sense of community in its traditional form, but the
Island residents throughout the shutdown. He
business community is really coming together as
even received a donation from one woman who
well,” stated Gunton.
asked him not to tell her husband about it, and an
As restrictions ease, the publican and his team
hour later her husband donated and asked not to
want to continue the concept with people eating a
mention it to his wife!
meal on the premises.
Gunton said that more than free food, the
“Now that we’re slowly opening up again, it’s
community table offering was about creating a
something that we want to continue with an actual,
way for the Bruny Island population not to feel so
physical community table. The local community has
isolated throughout the pandemic.
supported us so well in the past, so its nice that we
“We’ve had people taking food up to elderly
8 | Australian Hotelier
can give something back to it.”
Click here for video
Take a look at Bruny Island culture and community values with Dave Gunton.
CUB, in partnership with the AHA, is committed to help raise $2 million for pubs and clubs through the For the Love of Your Local campaign. This will help support them during these challenging times.
#loveofyourlocal
https://loveofyourlocal.com.au/
MARKETING
Cutting through the noise Whether your venue is still shut down or slowly re-opening, it’s more important than ever to keep your venue front of mind with patrons. AS ON-PREMISE venues have been closed
crucial. And best of all, they are low-cost
for two months now, keeping front-of-
methods at a time when every dollar spent
mind with your patrons is more important
needs to be scrutinised.
than ever, particularly as restrictions start
outside the square,” states McGroder. There are two key factors to make the optimal connection with your following. First, it’s important that you start
to ease and patrons get ready to resume
It’s all about the content
engaging right now if you haven’t already,
frequenting hospitality venues.
As for the content, McGroder says to
so that you’re not losing that audience to
steer clear of anything too political
other venues. Second, it is crucial to know
Department (MMD), says that people have
Melissa McGroder, CEO of My Marketing
or divisive. Instead, focus on what’s
exactly who is your target audience, and if
‘mental menus’ of the places they want to
happening at your venue now, or flash
that has changed of late.
go and the experiences they want to have,
back to happier times.
when they think about going out – so it’s
“Keep it cheerful with positive stories
“If you haven’t defined your customer avatars and fleshed out your positioning,
crucial to have your venue somewhere in the
about what’s happening behind the scenes.
then it will be so much harder to create
top three of that mental menu.
If your venue is having a lick of paint, share
attention for yourself. You’ll waste
“If venues have stayed in touch with
it. If staff are doing additional hygiene
truckloads of time and money throwing
their audience through active marketing
training, share it. Flashbacks will help
darts at a board that has no defined
practices then keeping up high on this list
whet appetites, and of course if you’re
target,” says McGroder.
comes naturally,” explains McGroder.
doing takeaway then that’s your new core
“During COVID the same rules still apply. Plus, it’s exacerbated by the fact
business to tell everyone about too.”
“Get your marketing team on to revising your customer profiling to make
In these unusual times, try sharing
sure your target market is still correct,
that people are glued to the news and
content that you wouldn’t normally – it
then focus all your marketing efforts on
their social media feeds and even their
might help keep your following more
pleasing that market.”
emails even more than ever before, so
engaged than ever.
there’s a more captive audience out there yearning to hear what’s going on.” So what are the best ways to engage
“We’ve all seen fantastic examples of venues from across the full spectrum sharing everything from cocktail recipes
with your audience during the shutdown/
to how to master the perfect pub schnitty
restricted trading? The basics of social
at home. There are still so many content
media channels, a well-designed website
opportunities – it’s just a matter of opening
and attention to your email database are
up the ideas vault and thinking a little
10 | Australian Hotelier
Click here
for examples of how to address COVID-19 protocols
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BUSINESS MODELS
12 | Australian Hotelier
BUSINESS MODELS
A new way forward
Restrictions may be lifting, but the traditional pub model no longer works post-shutdown. Here’s some of the ways hotels will have to adapt their operations. THE PRESSURE of the two-month shutdown has eased somewhat for venues all over Australia, as restrictions have been lifted to varying degrees, and pubs can begin in-venue trade once more. But with caveats to that trade in the form of social distancing and health safety measures, as well as patron wariness in an ongoing pandemic, pub operations cannot go straight back to business as usual. It will be a long time before pubs trade at pre-shutdown conditions, if at all. “Whilst devastating, COVID-19 will force many, if not all operators to rethink elements of their business model to establish a more robust operation and somewhat ‘future-proof’ themselves to a certain degree,” states JLL Hotels & Hospitality senior vice president Ben McDonald. Almost all aspects of pub operations will have to change somewhat – some just a little, while others will have to be overhauled completely.
Hygiene protocols With concern for people’s safety being paramount, hygiene protocols in venues will have to become even more stringent than they have been in the past. This is not only to ensure the immediate safety of staff and patrons alike, but in order to minimise the chances of a second wave of COVID-19 once more shutting down the country. With fears that a ‘Ruby Princess incident’ could take place in a hospitality venue, operators are taking more precautions than ever. As an industry that has always been stringent about hygiene, particularly around food, upping protocols to be stricter than ever will not be too big a leap. “The hospitality industry has always had a heightened focus on food safety. So that’s one big advantage for restaurant and pub owners to have some degree of confidence that they already have a strong hygiene culture,” states SafetyCulture COO, Alastair Venn. While back-of-house protocols remain at the highest level, it’s in the front of house where things will have to change. First is a reconfiguration of your dining and other seated areas to create space between groups of patrons. Next is hand The Sporting Globe in Knox, Victoria
sanitiser made available around the venue. While pump bottles on every table
June 2020 | 13
BUSINESS MODELS
Watch
video here Venue configurations We spoke to Paul Kelly of Paul Kelly design to get his take on how operators will need to reconfigure their venues to not only accommodate social distancing restrictions, but to make patrons feel safe in their surroundings. Watch the interview left.
and bars are a place to start, Steven Speed at WDS
getting business going again. The faster that we can
Hotels has gone one step further.
monitor and intervene on risks, the more we’ll be
“We’ve got proper sanitising stations. I think
able to open up things a little further.”
sanitising is going to be here for quite some time.
COVID-19 will force many, if not all operators to rethink elements of their business model to establish a more robust operation and somewhat ‘future-proof’ themselves to a certain degree. Ben McDonald, JLL Hotels & Hopsitality
We’ve gone with ones you don’t touch and they’re
Less contact, more comfort
branded, so they’re going to be here for quite some
One of the most fundamental shifts to the way pubs
time. People see it as soon as they come in, so it’s a
operate, is a switch to a model that reduces the
statement that we’re taking this seriously.”
amount of communal touchpoints and gathering
There are a plethora of different hygiene protocols to seriously consider now, including
main source of this shift, is a move from queuing
staff and patron temperature checks, the removal
and ordering at the bar, to a table service model
of communal cutlery stations, the inclusion of
that will see patrons stay mainly at their tables, and
sneeze-guard screens, and the regular disinfecting
order both food and beverage either from front-of-
of touchpoints like ATMs and handrails. There are
house staff or through apps. This reduces the need
even air filtration systems to help remove germs
for congregation, and long queues around your
from a space.
public bar area.
With so many new protocols that you can enact,
How ordering and payment is processed is also
having checklists to stay on top of it all will be
going through a big shift, as patrons and staff
handy as you and your staff get used to this new
alike are uneasy with handling physical menus and
facet of operations. At SafetyCulture, the iAuditor
cash – items which could be touched by hundreds
app is a free tool that includes checklists from
of people per day in a pub setting, so enforcing
everyone from Australian governing bodies to the
or highly recommending electronic methods of
World Health Organisation and the CDC. You can
ordering and payment are another way in which
use any of the checklists and even modify them to
venues can make everyone feel at ease.
best suit your venue and keep staff on top of all that needs to be done.
While table service is currently a trading restriction in most states, some pubs groups have
“You can create really short checklists that
begun enacting the move long-term, as a method
your team can take two minutes to check. But it
of reducing community transmission and to make
gives you almost a real-time feedback within your
patrons feel more comfortable within their venues.
business to know in an analytics model that in this
Signature Hospitality Group has introduced a new
location they missed inspections today, and what
tap-to-order system to all of its The Sporting Globe
are the most commonly failed items. So you can
venues. After being seated, guests will use their
take action on that really quickly,” explains Venn.
own smartphones to tap the new devices set up
“That really is what we believe is the key to
14 | Australian Hotelier
among different patron groups within the pub. The
at the tables, which opens up the relevant website
BUSINESS MODELS
Extensive changes have been made by WDS Hotels at The Russell Hotel and Fortune of War
or app, allowing them to order their
setting? Stevan Premutico, founder
food direct to their table. The device
of me&u and a long-time advocate
There are more than 100,000
also automatically enters the venue
for the need for operators to adopt
free checklists available
location and table streamlining the
technology within their operations,
through SafetyCulture. You
ordering process and limiting contact.
says it’s all about the atmosphere
Checklist galore
can find a collection of
“This technology was designed in-
hospitality checklists here,
house to complement and support the
something we’ve all missed while
that cover everything from
existing team structure and to create a
pubs have been closed. He uses an
re-opening for the first time,
safer and more compelling dining out
example of a host as a way pubs
employee procedures, food
experience for guests,” said a Signature
can adapt to this new scenario.
assessment and key area
Hospitality Group spokesperson.
inspections, plus much more.
At Australian Venue Co (AVC), the
The faster that we can monitor and intervene on risks, the more we’ll be able to open up things a little further. Alastair Venn, SafetyCulture
“In the evolution of the pub industry, the role of the host
group has partnered with Mr Yum
becomes really critical. A host meets
across all of its venues for at-table
you, greets you and seats you upon
ordering via app.
arrival. That person is not there to
“We’re going to have a lot of focus
16 | Australian Hotelier
and the human connection –
do the low-value stuff like take your
on contactless options for ordering
order and organise payment. Tech
and payment. I think it’s inevitable
can do that low- value stuff better
that there’s going to be greater social
than a person,” suggests Premutico.
distancing [long-term], so looking at
“The high-value stuff is the
things like placement of tables and
connection, the rapport, the fun,
gaming machines are crucial,” states
the banter that happens when a host
AVC CEO Paul Waterson.
interacts with a table. So if we can get
So with a move from bar service
rid of the low-value crap and allow
to table service and less mingling
the high-value magic to take centre-
and movement in between areas
stage, then everyone wins. It’s not a
of a pub, how does a venue retain
tech-centred experience – far from
a casual pub feel, rather than
it, it’s a human-centred experience,
becoming a more formal restaurant
that’s driven by tech.”
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BUSINESS MODELS
Spaces will need to be reconfigured in line with social distancing rules
Cash flow options
Changes in patron behaviour
With so many mandatory or recommended changes to be made to the pub business model,
In late April, me&u
significant expenditure is inevitable. While
conducted a survey of
capex is part and parcel of any hotel business,
Australians nationwide to
the need to spend it now is particularly painful
gauge attitudes around
when there has been very little revenue coming
hospitality in light of the
in over the last two months – let alone profit.
COVID-19 pandemic.
At WDS Hotels, which is located primarily
The results showed a
in the tourism and corporate end of Sydney’s
public that was keen to
CBD, Speed has been very comprehensive in his
get back to pubs, bars,
overhaul of the Fortune of War so that his venue
restaurants and cafes, but
will be in its best position to recommence trade.
with some slightly different
But it has come at a cost.
behaviours. Here are the
“The Rocks and Circular Quay relies on ships, tourists and corporates, so we have to do it better than ever because people want to feel
Fortune of War’s branded hand-sanitising stations
safe to come back into a venue. We’ll be under the spotlight. [But] it’s going to cost us money to
thinking about the new trading environment that
do this, we will lose money.”
pubs have to contend with and adapt to. The
So how can venues get a hold of funds
points made here barely touch the surface, and
at such an imperative time? Morgan Kelly,
it can feel overwhelming when thinking about
partner – restructuring services at KPMG, says
what the future will hold for pub trading.
now is the time to talk to your bank, as well as
But in the midst of all of that, the need to
consider reaching out to private equity firms.
restructure certain parts of your business can
But for the best results be prepared with a
be seen as an opportunity; a chance to reinvent
detailed business plan.
parts of the business – and in fact, the wider
“If loans can’t be sorted out look to business
industry – that were stagnant before COVID-19.
restructuring options. But make sure you go in
It’s a chance to look at things that ‘we’ve always
with your revised business plan that demonstrates
done that way’, and reassess their worth.
how you will continue to be a viable and newly innovative business,” suggests Kelly. There is so much to consider when it comes to
18 | Australian Hotelier
And amid all the chaos and stress, that’s a silver lining if there ever was one – the chance to create something new, and something better.
key takeaways for pub operators to consider.
• 65%
have
a preference for a digital menu
• 60%
are wary of
standing in queues due to hygiene concerns and;
• 95%
want to
pay on card or via their mobile device.
BEER
Hand in hand Pubs and beer go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise that when pubs were forced to close, it was the breweries who were among the first to show their pub partners support – and have continued to do so over the last two months.
Stomping Ground has donated 5000 schooners of beer to pubs across Melbourne
PUBS HAVE been under immense
– CUB and Lion – had stepped up with
on in the crisis, and quickly started the
pressure in the last two months. For all
initiatives to help support their pub
‘For the Love of Your Local’ campaign.
the good of pivoting to takeaway and
partners in any way they could. Lion
Through the initiative, the public could
delivery models, it still does not make
immediately announced that it would
purchase a $10 voucher for 2-for-1
up for the normal turnover a venue
credit any unused kegs that would
pints of Great Northern Crisp or Carlton
would make with its doors open, the
otherwise go bad, and to put a little more
Draught when their local re-opened,
music pumping and the beer flowing.
money back into the coffers.
with the money to go directly to their
The industry was shellshocked at the
Within the first month, Lion had credited
nominated pub.
end of March when venues were forced
more than 4000 venues nearly $23.5
to close, with operators trying to get
million for approximately 85,000 kegs.
raising $1 million, but after smashing the
their heads around how to keep their
It has also cleaned over 10,000 couplers
goal late last month, CUB has doubled the
businesses afloat and their staff employed.
and other pieces of draught equipment for
target to $2 million.
It didn’t take very long to realise that cash
its venue partners.
flow was going to be a real problem.
“We remain absolutely committed to
The scheme started with a target of
“Some venues are facing the prospect of never opening their doors again if they
doing everything we can to support licensed
don’t get cash flow. It is an unprecedented
Putting your money where your mouth is
venues during this challenging period,” says
challenge, not even during the world wars
managing director James Brindley.
or the Depression did the pubs close,”
Within a fortnight of the announcement,
At CUB, the company identified cash
the two biggest brewers in the country
20 | Australian Hotelier
flow as a major problem from pubs early
stated CUB CEO Peter Filipovic. “But we know Australians want pubs
BEER
and clubs to keep their place at the heart of many
I think operators and suppliers have to work with each other in
local communities once this crisis is over.”
Welcome support Once many venues began to adapt to a new
whatever way they can to get
takeway/delivery model and were granted the
through the COVID-19 crisis
and Lion also stepped up by supplying partners
and come out the other side successfully. Justin Joiner, Stomping Ground
license conditions to sell takeaway alcohol, CUB with the squealer and growler bottles necessary to sell takeaway draught beer. All of these initiatives have been welcomed by publicans across the country who have been looking for fiscal relief in any form they can get it. “Lion have been fantastic during the last few months – taking back all our kegs and giving us a credit for them so that when we are reopened, we can get a new opening stock and we haven’t had to pour the existing stock down the drain,” states Tim McLernon, general manager of the Three Pound Group in Perth. “Our Lion guys have kept in constant communication with us and have shown a genuine compassion and care for our business and staff which will not be forgotten.” For single venue operators, the support has been even more crucial, as Annie Hateley, operator of the Drums Hotel in Coburg, Melbourne, can attest. “With the bar and bistro being closed for nine weeks, our food and beverage revenue is down by about 90 per cent. The support of Government and key suppliers such as CUB has been really important to our financial viability. “It’s been tough for the entire pub industry and it’s still a long road ahead for many operators. So, CUB raising $2 million for our industry is a real lifeline for many venues.”
Taking stock As pubs begin to re-open, breweries continue to support their pub partners by donating free kegs of beer across the country to kick off beverage sales. But it’s not just the big guys getting in on the act. Melbourne-based brewery Stomping Ground is celebrating the reopening of Victorian pubs this month by shouting 5000 Melburnians their first beer at more than 50 pubs in the state’s capital. With the owners having experience in both the brewing Peter Filipovic, CEO of CUB (left) and Bob O’Kane, owner of All Nations Hotel
and pubs business (they also own and operate the famed Local Taphouse in St Kilda), they understand how crucial the on-premise side of the business is
June 2020 | 21
BEER
to the beer industry. “I think the shutdown has confirmed what we already knew - that the hospitality industry is a crucial part of the beer industry. Pubs, bars and restaurants are where punters are more likely to try a new product, find a beer they love, and tell their friends about it. Many breweries also have a hospitality component to their businesses which enables them to get valuable feedback directly from their consumers,” stated Stomping Ground coowner Justin Joiner. Initiatives like the Stomping Ground 5K initiative, Lion trucking free kegs of XXXX to outback Queensland pubs, and CUB raising cash flow for its hotel partners, show that the hotel and beer industries are tightly linked, and that when one falters, the other is there to help it get back on its feet. “I think operators and suppliers have to work with each other in whatever way they can to get through the COVID-19 crisis and come out the other side successfully,” states Joiner. “We will all need each other if we are to restore our industries to anything like they were before, so the more we can work together the better.”
A truck leaves the XXXX brewery with free kegs for outback Queensland pubs
Support in numbers Over 10,000
More than
$2 million
30,000+
couplers
80,000 kegs
cash flow
bottles
cleaned
credited
pledged
donated
The Camfield in Perth will re-open with fresh beer thanks to its partnership with Lion
22 | Australian Hotelier
MENTAL HEALTH
It’s okay to not be okay Whether it’s in the midst of a pandemic or business as usual, actively managing mental health is extremely important for you and your staff, as Brydie Allen writes. THE RECURRING uncertainties of 2020 so far
to help alleviate through their partnership with
have been proven to have detrimental impacts
Healthy Hospo to provide a free online course for
on our mental health. It has the potential
personal and workplace wellbeing.
to negatively affect you, your staff and your
“The biggest issue we’ve seen in accessing
colleagues, with 88 per cent of the country’s
mental health [help], is the stigma. That debilitating
hospitality workers suffering from increased
first step is quite frightening for a lot of people,”
stress and anxiety during the pandemic.
Campbell said.
That’s on top of what can already be a stressful
“The course focuses on destigmatising mental
industry, as Tim Etherington-Judge, founder of
health issues that are prevalent in hospitality in a
Healthy Hospo says.
non-discriminatory environment. We’ve eliminated
“It’s an extremely demanding and often unhealthy industry to work in… and we often suffer in silence.” That’s why now, in a time when we easily recite the good hygiene techniques for physical health, it’s
the debilitating first step of reaching out for help by allowing anyone to sign up (for themselves or their venue) without a human stop gap.” The two-level mental health course is part
important to give the maintenance of mental health
of SBL’s suite of hospitality training modules,
the same treatment.
originally created to offer venues a free and
Actively managing your mental health and
easy solution to online learning. Mental health
supporting your staff and colleagues to do the same
components covering topics like sleep, burnout and
can do a world of good through this pandemic and
stress were already in the works pre-pandemic.
beyond. Starting healthy habits now may not be as
These have been developed further in the current
See the links
hard as you think too, especially with a range of
climate to cover more areas including specific
below for the
specialised services on hand to help.
COVID-19 topics, as well as be accessible to
organisations
individual learners.
mentioned in
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Like SBL, hospitality mental health organisation
The most important step in managing mental health
Hospo for Life had services available pre-pandemic.
is the first one. Duncan Campbell, co-founder and
Created by chef Liam Crawley, Hospo for Life has
COO of Small Batch Learning (SBL), said this can
now evolved to provide new avenues of support in
often make it harder for people already struggling
response to circumstances the industry now faces.
with mental health, who are also concerned about
Hospo for Life provides access to psychologists
time, money and stigma. It’s something SBL wanted
24 | Australian Hotelier
and mental health services around the clock for
Access help
this story: •S mall Batch Learning • Hospo For Life • Livin
MENTAL HEALTH
members of the hospitality industry. As on-premise venues were forced into lockdown, they launched the weekly video series #HospoHappyHour, supported by Warner’s Gin. Episodes in the series feature discussions with health professionals and industry members about topics like managing stress and coping with isolation.The benefits of the SBL x Healthy Hospo course and Hospo For Life are that they provide the most contextual mental health advice for those in the industry.
FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS As more venues start to slowly reopen and more staff come back to work, there’s also a business case for keeping mental health management a priority. Luke Foster, psychologist and mental health advisor
TOP TIPS FROM HOSPO FOR LIFE Hospo For Life Founder Liam Crawley, gave Australian Hotelier these top tips for hospitality workers to look after their mental health.
for Livin, said poor mental health will affect over half
Focus on getting enough sleep: aim for seven to nine hours per night.
of Australians during their lifetime, therefore costing
Keep active: aim for 30 to 40 minutes of exercise or movement most days.
businesses around $13 billion each year. “The good news is that for every dollar a business invested in creating a mentally healthy workplace, they get an average return on investment of $2.30 by reducing lost wages, absenteeism and presenteeism,” Foster said. “Not only this, but knowledge and understanding
Maintain your social connections beyond just social media platforms: reach out to a friend most days for a coffee catch up, phone call or video link up. Think of different ways to be active: walk your dog, garden, ride a bike, or play with children. Be conscious of your alcohol consumption: aim for four to five alcohol-
about mental health and mental health issues has been
free days per week.
shown to defeat stigma and ultimately save lives.”
Develop good sleep habits: avoid blue lights from phones and IT usage for
Livin, which is a mental health charity committed to breaking down the stigmas of mental health and saying ‘it ain’t weak to speak’, has also developed a wellness program for businesses, called Livin Well in the workplace. SBL’s course too, looks at the importance of a healthy workplace from both a personal wellbeing and a business perspective. But Campbell also raised the importance of publicans looking after themselves at
30 to 60 minutes before bed and stick to a regular bed and wake up time. Manage uncertainty by keeping focused on the present: try to focus on what you can control. Do something for someone else: volunteer, cook for someone, or phone someone who is more socially isolated than you are. Develop routines: structure is a strategy for managing stress. Reach out for help if you need: talk to a psychologist, a GP or a counsellor and be proactive about your mental health just like your physical health.
the same time. “Probably the biggest message we want to get out is that it’s okay not to be okay. This lockdown situation is something that we could never prepare for and we see publicans and managers asking themselves if they did enough beforehand to help their business. So we want publicans to look more kindly on themselves when it comes to this,” Campbell said. “The entire focus at the moment is on keeping the business alive and restrictions aren’t making that any easier. What we cover in the course aims to help publicans and their staff understand their feelings, understand their emotions, and understand that it’s okay not to be okay.”
June 2020 | 25
TRAINING
Upskilling online Want to use some unexpected downtime to hone your skills? Small Batch Learning’s free video tutorials will help management and venue staff learn get back to work with even more talents up their sleeves.
EVEN AS pubs begin to re-open, it will
management system already being
such as beverage knowledge; how to taste
be some time before trading hours, and
used by Australia’s most recognisable
and recommend drinks, including wine;
staffing requirements return completely
hospitality brands.
service skills and upselling; and mental
to normal. As such, many workers within
Whether you work in or manage a hotel,
wellbeing in the workplace.
the industry have found themselves with
bar, pub or restaurant, our world-class
unexpected down time.
content enhances you and your team’s
can sign up for free accounts, which is
Not every one wants to be productive
Both individuals and venue managers
skills, customer service and product
particularly welcoming at such a time
during this time – some people see it as
knowledge, in a setting that respects the
of financial pressure. For a taste of the
a chance to rest and regroup. But for
learner’s time and intelligence.
content, check out the video below on
anyone who is in need of a project or something to keep them occupied, online video tutorials are a great way to not only stay busy, but to upskill in a time when competition in the labour market is tougher than ever. Small Batch Learning is a free online training platform for hospitality that opens up a world of beverage service expertise – at zero cost. Individuals can access courses, product training and hundreds of recipes, earn certificates and turbocharge their professional development. For managers, it’s a useful tool to train your team with a purpose-built learning
26 | Australian Hotelier
Content and courses includes topics
cocktail shaking technique.
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LIVE SPORT
Kicking off again As both of Australia’s footy codes resume this month, live sport remains more important than ever as a driver of pub trade. BESIDES BEING able to attend the pub, one of the things Australians have missed the most of late has been live sport. With the NRL resuming on 28 May, and the AFL following closely behind on 11 June, Australia is leading the way in offering captive audiences professional sporting contests once more. Pubs have always used live sport as a way to attract patronage and increase spend, but as the general public still cannot attend live matches — and will likely be unable to do so for quite some time — broadcasting live games in venue is more important than ever. The Public House at Highfield Caringbah is the unofficial home of NRL in Sydney’s Shire region, with 80 screens including three massive TV walls, along with state of the art TAB facilities. Having missed it in the first quarter of this year, live sport has a renewed importance at this Feros Group pub. “Pubs and live sport have always gone hand in hand. The simple pleasure of going to the pub with your mates to have a beer and watch the footy is a way of life for many people,” said Ben Auricht, group marketing manager of Feros Group. “With this in mind, having live sport and the NRL being played in our pubs again has never been so important. It brings back a level of
28 | Australian Hotelier
LIVE SPORT
extremely stressful times we have all
THE NEW SPORTING EXPERIENCE
been facing. It allows people to come
However, in the era of a pandemic,
together and connect with their passion
sports viewing cannot immediately return
point which is NRL, which they haven’t
to normal. Thus, groups like Australian
been able to do for a while. And further
Venue Co (AVC) are creating packages
more with NRL fans not being able to go
around live sport to guarantee minimum
to the games at the moment, pubs like
spend at a time when every dollar counts.
normality to people’s lives after the
the Public House have become like a home ground for many fans. They
a cornerstone to our pub experiences
can come in, grab a cold beer, sit with
nationally, but we will have to change a
their mates and watch the footy, just
few of the ways we approach and manage
like being at the game or maybe
the events, at least until restrictions
even better.”
are eased,” states AVC’s Victoria state
On the other side of the country, The Camfield is gearing up for the return of the AFL season. “We will be having a very big upcoming The Public House at Highfield Caringbah
I think venues that are able to use live sport events in their venues will have a massive advantage in getting back up and running. Tim McLernon, Three Pound Group
manager, Ben Anderson. To comply with state regulations, league events like AFL, NRL and EPL may be ticketed at some of the group’s major
focus on live sport at The Camfield. We
sporting venues. Generally, the tickets
are focussing a large part of our marketing
will be part of packages ranging from
efforts towards the first four rounds of
$25-$60 which include food and
the AFL season as we think people will
beverage options.
be looking for an event-based experience
“This will allow us to control our
when they come back into pubs around
capacities to maintain social distancing
Australia,” says Tim McLernon, general
practices and ensure customers are
manager of Three Pound Group.
enjoying meals with their beverages to
“The Camfield is perfectly placed to provide this so we have set up our large
comply with different state restrictions.” The group has launched sports
marquee in the beer garden so that
packages at all of its pubs across
patrons can still watch the footy on our
Australia. For $60, punters can enjoy a
big outdoor screen even in
guaranteed spot with a view of the screen
poor weather.”
for two hours, choice of a classic pub
Live sport viewing has always been a great way to entice patrons to stay
meal and two house beverages. “We are currently in the process of
longer – and spend more – at the pub
developing a premium package offering for
then they might otherwise. As one of
some of our venues which will include a
the main broadcasters of live sport for
private room, footy feeds and bottomless
venues in Australia, Foxtel Business
beverages. These packages will be
understands the value a live game can
available until restrictions ease and allow
bring to a pub.
for greater capacities in venues.”
“Live sport on Foxtel brings fans into
However you decided to capitalise
venues where they can watch every game
on live venue, it is definitely a revenue-
live. With games from Thursday through
raising stream of operations in the current
to Sunday, venues can offer a range of
environment of people yearning for a
catering options to encourage patrons
pub atmosphere and a good contest, as
to dine, drink and ultimately stay longer
McLernon believes.
with their family or friends. Live sport
The outdoor marquee at The Camfield
“Sports will absolutely continue to be
“I think venues that are able to use live
also helps create great atmosphere and all
sport events in their venues will have a
round positive customer experience which
massive advantage in getting back up
brings repeat business.”
and running.”
June 2020 | 29
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