Australian Hotelier June 2020

Page 20

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


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