AUSTRALIAN
AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
BUS0494_AHA_Cover_A4_FA.indd 1
Vol. 38 No. 2- March 2021
IN THIS ISSUE: ENTERTAINMENT | KEG TECH | ACCOMMODATION
2/3/21 11:45 am
CONTENTS & ED’S NOTE
WE ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING Get the facts DrinkWise.org.au
Contents SPECIAL FEATURES
P26
PUBLISHER: Paul Wootton
22 Accommodation: Targeting the domestic
8 Pub Leaders Summit: This year’s event is
more crucial than ever for publicans to exchange ideas. 10 Brand Talks: Finest Call is saving pubs
traveller in 2021.
REGULARS 6 News: What’s happening in pubs across
time and money behind the bar. 12 Entertainment: Live sport, music and Ed’s Pick
Australia. 26 Design & Build: The Terminus Hotel has
trivia are driving patrons to return
expanded its reach of locals with a
to venues.
revamp.
18 Draught Product: New keg tech is
30 Tales from the Top: Lewis Land Group’s
ensuring that pubs are serving the
local employment drive embeds its
freshest beer every time.
pubs even further into the community.
Editor’s Note
JOURNALIST: Dan Hughes dhughes@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
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
locally is further embedding its presence in
normal, in most parts
communities. Check it out on p 30. Looking for even more inspiration on how
seems to be on an
to boost trade within your pub? There will be
upward trajectory, as
plenty of ideas and case studies shared
community transmissions
by leading industry operators at the
of COVId-19 are almost non-existent and
Pub Leaders Summit on 22 March. Head to
the national vaccine program has begun
www.publeaders.com.au to check out the
this month. With that in mind, publicans are
program and buy your physical or virtual
looking for ways to boost and maximise trade
tickets now!
to recoup some of the revenue lost last year.
Cheers,
In this issue, we look at how a big focus on entertainment is driving people back to
Vanessa Cavasinni
pubs for an experience they can’t recreate at
P: 02 8586 6201
home. For more info, see p 12. For pubs with
E: vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au
accommodation rooms, a pivot to focusing on intrastate travellers seems to be working, after
‣ Pub Dining
a dismal 2020 (see p 22). And in Queensland,
‣ Heating
the Lewis Land Group’s drive to employ
‣ Property and Investment
4 | Australian Hotelier
EDITOR: Vanessa Cavasinni vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au
While not back to of Australia pub trade
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In the
The new Solotel executive team including new CEO Elliot Solomon (third from left)
news
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PUBS ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Solotel to scrutinise business with fresh eyes
AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER spoke to Solotel’s new CEO, Elliot Solomon,
was. I think that’s something that we will bring into the new year,
on his plans and strategy for the hospitality group in 2021.
and despite the toughness – particularly when we had to close
Solomon’s step-up to the CEO role was announced last month,
the venues during the lockdown – it has been quite amazing to
as Justine Baker steps away from the group’s leadership to focus
see how our people have been so resilient and adaptable to the
on new opportunities after a 20-year career with the group.
changes,” explained Solomon.
After Baker notified Solomon and his father Bruce – Solotel’s founder (pictured centre) – a few months ago, preparations have
2021 focus
been made for Solomon to step up as the chief executive of the
Scrutiny of the entire portfolio will continue, as Solomon says the
hospitality behemoth.
way the pandemic has changed the way people interact with the
“I’m very excited and really ready for the challenge. I feel incredible support from the executive team, Justine, Dad and the Solotel board as well. I’m feeling very positive about it all.” Solomon has worked within the group for the last decade, mainly as the director of property and design. His focus has been on the commercial and investment side of the business, and has
community hubs – and those hubs need to change as well. “Our focus and our mission has always been the same, and that’s really about creating and delivering the best experiences for our guests and our customers; and being cultural pillars in the communities we’re located in. “But I think the guests and communities have changed quite a
been heavily involved in any new projects or major concepts the
bit in the past year – the way people live, the way people work,
group has unveiled in that time.
the importance of local community has really strengthened –
Having worked closely with Baker for many years, Solomon
so we’re really looking at our portfolio with fresh eyes, having
has learned a lot from the esteemed industry leader, and certain
entrepreneurial spirit, and that’s what I really want to push in the
values and lessons have stuck with him and will inform his own
venues: to be creative and try out new ideas, adapting the venues
leadership style.
to the new normal.”
“From Justine I’ve learnt a lot about the importance of strong
While newly promoted COO Ben Stephens will continue to run
and positive leadership; the importance of being a great and
the day-to-day operations of the venues, Solomon is focused on
clear communicator; and also the need to constantly reinvent, be
the strategic vision of the group and already has some plans in the
creative, look at things with fresh eyes and constantly evolve –
works for the year ahead.
that’s something that she’s really inculcated in the company over the last five years.” That drive to constantly re-evaluate the group’s offerings
“I’m looking at new opportunities, new ways we can grow the businesses in the portfolio. We’ve got quite a few new projects that will be coming up this year – renovations of venues, and
was reinforced last year, as the pandemic made every operator
there’s a couple of other opportunities that we’re looking at at
scrutinise all aspects of their business. Solotel was no different.
the moment.”
“One of the things we did so well was how we were able to so
“Hopefully we stay on the same trajectory as a country and
quickly and decisively adapt to things as they changed. When we
things only continue to improve. If things continue down that path
were reopening we really had to look at everything with fresh eyes
I think we’re in a really strong position to try new things and push
and adapt the venues and the concepts to what the new world
ahead again. We’re all pretty motivated to do that.”
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6 | Australian Hotelier
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NEWS
BYRON CONTINUES TO BECKON PUBLICANS FROM AFAR
draws tourists from Byron Bay. With ties already in
The Lennox Hotel in Lennox Head, Byron Bay,
is pleased to take on such a well favoured pub.
has sold to a consortium led by Fraser Short
place with the greater Byron Bay community, Short “We have a house on Belongil in Byron Bay and
and Stu Laundy. The beachfront pub has been
The Northern Rivers is my little family’s second
sold by the Campbell and Lister families, who
home; so with both The Balcony Bar and Oyster
had owned the pub for more than a decade. The
Room and The Farm Byron Bay all in our group,
hotel was sold off-market for an undisclosed
Ally and I are excited to expand into such an
sum, with the sale negotiated by HTL Property’s
amazing community. Lennox Head is both a world
Andrew Jolliffe.
class destination and a sought after lifestyle for
“We feel very privileged to have owned such
those that are lucky enough to enjoy it.”
an iconic hotel. The decision to sell was not one
Fraser continued: “The Lennox presented itself
that our families made lightly but we are excited
as an unmissable asset so we joined together with
about the opportunities this presents for our
our long term partners the Laundy family to ensure
team and the community,” stated brothers Clyde
we can deliver back to the community a gathering
and Greg Campbell.
place that represents their lifestyle and one they
“We welcome the Short and Laundy families to Lennox and look forward to remaining involved in the community through our other businesses.” The Lennox Hotel is a favourite of the local Lennox Head and Ballina communities, and also
can be proud of being associated with.” Byron Bay continues to lure publicans from all over the country, with MA Hotel Management purchasing the Beach Hotel in the heart of Byron for a record $104 million in late 2019.
Lennox Hotel
PLS PREVIEW
The exchange of ideas
The 2021 Pub Leaders Summit is set to be its most crucial event yet, as publicans strive to get their businesses back on track after the toughest year on record.
AFTER AN incredibly tough year with ever-changing limitations,
to learning from his industry colleagues and their experiences
publicans are hoping that 2021 brings with it a steady, upward
throughout the day.
trajectory for trade as we place hope in shorter, localised
“2020 has been one of the most challenging and difficult years
lockdowns and a national vaccination program to combat the
in business but notably hospitality within the past century. It is
current pandemic.
with these challenges that we have all faced that we are realising
Pubs are still to recoup the losses of the last year however, and
the usefulness of working together and understanding what
operators are looking for new and dynamic ways that they can
it takes to thrive through change. The Pub Leaders Summit is
increase revenues within their businesses. That’s where the Pub
a fantastic concept that brings all those who have failed and
Leaders Summit comes in – providing a space for operators to
succeeded through 2020 together to tell their stories. It is this
gather and discuss new ideas and strategies to help the industry
platform that allows us all to learn from one and other and grow
recover from the crises of 2020.
as an industry,” says Chick.
The program will cover the big revenue streams such as F&B,
“I am looking forward to and honoured to be participating
gaming and entertainment, while also looking at how various
in this years Pub Leaders Summit so that I can contribute our
operators have responded to the challenges and restrictions
successes and failures but most importantly listen to everyone’s
of the last year. Award-winning keynote speaker, Michael
experiences. 2021 is looking to pose a fresh range of challenges
McQueen, will present The Post-Crisis Kickstart, using both
and by understanding other perspectives on the past year
international and domestic examples of how businesses used
I believe it will strongly gear me up to prepare for the new
the crisis of the last 12 months to re-evaluate and strengthen
challenges ahead of us.”
their businesses. Participants include experienced and respected pub operators such as Chris Cheung (C!NC), Marcello Colosimo (Momento
The 2021 Pub Leaders Summit is being held in partnership with our platinum sponsor Intrust Super on 22 March at Doltone House Darling Island in Sydney.
Hospitality), Debbie Higgins (Merivale), Jen Russell (W. Short Hospitality) and Steven Speed (WDS Hotels). Industry stakeholders who will bring some external perspective to the day’s program include John Musca (JLL Hotels & Hospitality), Steven Premutico (me&u), Michael Rodrigues (Night Time Industries Association), Councillor Jess Miller (City of Sydney) and Michael Waters (Retail Drinks Australia). Toby Chick, licensee of the award-winning Hotel Rose Bay, will take part in our F&B panel, but is most looking forward
8 | Australian Hotelier
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! Snag your last minute tickets at www.publeaders.com.au. Can’t physically attend? You can purchase virtual tickets to our live-stream of the event for $75. When: Monday 22 March 2021 Where: Doltone House Darling Island, Pyrmont, NSW; or online.
LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS! Monday 22 March www.publeaders.com.au SUMMIT 2021
MONDAY 22 MARCH 2021 DOLTONE HOUSE, DARLING ISLAND, SYDNEY
8:30am – 9:20am
Registrations open
9:20 – 9:30am
Welcome and Opening: Vanessa Cavasinni, Australian Hotelier and Luke Butler, Hastings People.
9:30 – 10:30am
Keynote Presentation: The Post–Crisis Kickstart by Michael McQueen.
10:30 – 11:00am
Dealing with the Unknown: How Pubs have Responded to the COVID Crisis. (Marcello Colosimo, Momento Hospitality; Steven Speed, WDS Hotels; Jen Russell, W. Short Hospitality; David Thompson, Tilley & Wills)
11:00 – 11:15am
Presentation: Trends Impacting the Pub Industry by Stevan Premutico, me&u.
11:15am – 11:45am
Morning Tea
11:45 – 12:00pm
Presentation: Making Informed Decisions about your Asset: Understanding Market Evidence by John Musca, JLL Hotels & Hospitality.
12:00 – 12:10pm
Live–streamed Q&A: Pub Sustainability Practices with Melissa Porter, Porters Plainland Hotel.
12:10 – 12:30pm
Corporate Sustainability: Committing to a Greener Business (Nicholas Wright, Lewis Land Group; Councillor Jess Miller, City of Sydney; Kent Anderson, The Glenmore)
12:30 – 1:00pm
Presentation: Accruing and Utilising Data by Morgan Kelly, KPMG.
1:00 – 1:15pm
Live–streamed Presentation: Retail Brewing – Own your Own Beer by Julian Sanders, Spark Breweries & Distilleries
1:15 – 1:30pm
Presentation: The Future of Gaming by Darren Kwan, Australian eSports League.
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Lunch
2:30 – 2:50pm
Let Us Entertain You: A Changing Landscape. (Kerri Glasscock, Sydney Fringe Festival; Matt Rule, Music + Booze Co; Ed Loveday, Solotel)
2:50pm – 3:00pm
Q&A: 24-Hour Cities Michael Rodrigues (incoming 24 Hour Economy Commissioner, NSW Government)
3:00 – 3:00pm
Retail Matters: Key Considerations for a Pub Bottle Shop. (Daniel Crawford, C!NC; Jason Bush, Merivale; Michael Waters, Retail Drinks Australia; Simon Cleave, ALM; Brydie Allen, National Liquor News)
3:30 – 3:45pm
Live–streamed Q&A: Social Responsibility and your Brand in the Community with Rose Kentish, Sparkke Beverage Company.
3:45 – 4:00pm
Presentation: Social Media Intelligence and Actionable Customer Insights by Greg Daniel AM, KPMG.
4:00 – 4:30pm
The New F&B. (Marcello Colosimo, Momento Hospitality; Toby Chick, Hotel Rose Bay; Chris Cheung, C!NC; Debbie Higgins, Merivale)
4:30pm – 6:00pm
Networking Drinks
AN INFORMATIVE AND DYNAMIC EVENT FOR THE PUB SECTOR
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
BRAND TALKS
Cocktails made easy
Finest Call’s wide range of mixers is making cocktails a profitable and easily handled category of beverage for pubs everywhere.
THE FINEST Call range has been created with the busy bartender in mind. While in a small bar setting a bartender can afford to spend five minutes making a cocktail – and charging accordingly – in a pub setting, peak trade times mean bar staff have far less time to put together an excellent beverage. Finest Call mixers allow pub venues to put together high quality cocktails in less time. The customer after something a little fancier than a simple serve will be satisfied, while wait times will be kept down. In Australia, the range is divided into four sections that can facilitate any kind of cocktail. Citrus – Single Pressed Lemon Juice and Single Pressed Lime Juice, are both 99 per cent citrus, and are naturally preserved using rosemary extract. Sours – Lemon Sour and Grapefruit Sour. Modifiers – Fruit purees including Mango, Passionfruit, Strawberry, White Peach, and Watermelon easily add a fruit twist to classic cocktails. Think endless margarita options! One-Step Cocktails – Pre-batched Margarita, Mojito and Espresso Mix. Just add your spirit of choice and shake. The range is versatile enough that using three or four SKUs can easily deliver 10 different cocktails for your drinks list – all while keeping it simple enough for any bar team to keep up with regardless of a venue’s set-up. “The range allows us to speak to all different levels of bars and skillsets,” explains Southtrade brand manager Andrew Milne. “It’s perfect for a junior bar team with high turnover requiring quick training and easy to follow recipes that they can pick up on day one, to big contemporary pubs that want a consistent menu of delicious cocktails whilst keeping their margins to a reasonable level and restricting any wastage from home-made fruit purees/freshly pressed citrus juices that need to be used within a short period of time.” Not only is it a time- and produce-saver, but those savings can have a very meaningful impact on your beverage expenditure, as can be evidenced at one very busy Brisbane pub. “By using Finest Call, we increased our rate of sale, minimised staff costs on prep time and lowered our fresh produce cost. In total, we saved over $60,000 in a year,” said a spokesperson for the Regatta Hotel. Finest Call and Southtrade can help you make the most out of your cocktail offering throughout the year, providing tools such as cocktail recipes and menu templates, to get your drinks menu working even more profitably for your venue.
Increased profit margin Using Finest Call can have a significant impact on the profit margin of your cocktails. While making a margarita from scratch can cost approximately $4.60 per drink, with Finest Call that cost is almost halved to $2.50 per drink.
10 | Australian Hotelier
ENTERTAINMENT
A key driver in on-premise recovery
WAYS TO entertain a customer at their local has taken grand strides in the last few years, with publicans reaching into their bag of tricks and pulling out events to satisfy any demographic. The need to provide a range of entertainment options has become even more paramount as on-premise venues set down the road to recovery with easing restrictions in each state. Many patrons are slowly being drawn back to their local watering hole while others are searching for something new. We now enter the realm where offering a live and interactive music experience, fun and mind-challenging trivia and live sport viewing are essential assets to a venue.
A SPORTS-CRAZED NATION 2021 is shaping up to be a an exciting year sports-wise, with the NBL and NBA already underway, AFL and NRL having started Super netball tipping off in May, the domestic and international cricket season in full bloom with a T20 world cup scheduled later this year, not to mention all the days at the track. For all the rev
An opportunity to provide quality entertainment awaits the proactive publican, with patrons actively searching for a venue to watch live sport on the big screen and enjoy live music and mid-week trivia. Dan Hughes reports.
heads out there, the MotoGP, V8 Supercars and Formula 1 are all gearing up to be thrill-seeking seasons. The Aberdeen Hotel in Perth is already drawing in customers by hosting the biggest events the sporting world has to offer. By placing multiple viewing platforms throughout the venue, it allows patrons to watch a multitude of different matches unfold at once. For attracting customers in the post-COVID era, the Aberdeen’s entertainment and live sport viewing set-up is setting the benchmark. Companies throughout Australia are joining together to enhance the live sports experience in venues. Last month, Foxtel
12 | Australian Hotelier
ENTERTAINMENT
joined with the MatchPint website and mobile app
Terrigal Hotel venue manager Trent Bridger said
to help publicans communicate sport schedules and
entertainment is crucial to enticing patrons to your
broadcast times to its customers.
venue, with different forms of entertainment drawing
For publicans, the app is developed to help increase attendance and communicate promotional
offerings. Music has been a massive part of the
licensed venues Greg Bohlsen said nothing is more
hospitality industry for years and will continue to be
Australian than a beer at the pub with mates while
for many to come, whether it be rock, jazz, blues.
watching live sport.
Even DJs all have their own following.
“Which is why Foxtel is delighted to be working
“Different genres of entertainment work for
with MatchPint and our venue partners to bring fans
different venues. Our entertainment caters for a
closer to the game… and the beer tap.”
broad age range, but our goal is to get a more mature The Speakeasy Group operations manager Greg
in a venue you think of Foxtel. We can’t wait to work
Sanderson added that his venues plan to capitalise on
with Foxtel’s customers across Australia to help
trending spikes in on-premise popularity by focusing
connect them with fans looking for venues and help
on live music, targeting bigger group bookings.
of MatchPint Australia, Jonathan Richards added.
LIVE MUSIC A KEY TO ENTERTAINMENT Another historically popular entertainment option for patrons is live music. As venues re-open many artists are itching to get back on stage and the public is raring to hear some live tunes once more. On the forefront of live music entertainment has
work for different venues. Our entertainment caters for a broad age range, but our goal is to get a more mature market, one that is much more family-friendly. Trent Bridger, Terrigal Hotel
market, one that is much more family-friendly.”
is what we are all about and when you think of sport
them market their week of sport in minutes,” Head
of entertainment
“That’s why it’s important to have different
deals to customers. Foxtel national manager –
“Getting more sports fans into pubs, more often
Different genres
different crowds.
“We’ve already seen a boost in booking sizes, but the return of live music from eased restrictions will be a big focus for our group going forward. Both our Nick and Nora locations in Sydney and Melbourne are going to be introducing live music for the first time in February.”
MID-WEEK TRIVIA, A STAPLE OF PUB ENTERTAINMENT For those looking for an alternate form of
been Sydney’s Botany View Hotel, which offers
entertainment that is more interactive, mid-week trivia
something for their patrons each night of the week.
is a core element in encouraging more visitation. New
The Botany View’s rooftop area features a full
strides are being made by entertainment companies
cocktail bar and open-air seating and is home to a
to help push trivia past its limitations. Publicans are
recently updated music entertainment area. It offers
turning to organised trivia companies or themed trivia
a holistic entertainment experience with the addition
nights they can host themselves.
of DJs, karaoke, and trivia. “The Botany View has a rich history of live
One company offering publicans a way to engage their customers in this experience is Oppy
music and almost all the staff who work here from
Entertainment subsidiary, Pub Trivia Australia. Oppy
management to bar staff to kitchen are musicians
Entertainment founder Jordan Oppy said PTA delivers
so it’s in the blood,” Botany View Hotel general
not only an interesting but visually captivating big
manager Luke Reimann said.
screen trivia product that features high resolution
“We recently completely upgraded our stages,
images to accompany every question. For venues
sound gear, lighting and even invested in a couple
without big screen capability, a printed game is also
of pianos to give the venue a much-needed boost
offered with high quality designed handouts for teams.
in production value. We support young local talent
“It’s the perfect form of entertainment for our
like no other around plus the diversity of our live
current climate, it’s one of the only things you can
performances from jazz, alt country, blues, indie,
do. You can put a band on stage, but people can’t
electro makes us quite unique.”
get up and dance. Current hospitality booking
Gallagher Hotels have also invested heavily in a various forms of pub entertainment, offering a range of live music and a vast range of live sport viewing options for its customers. Gallagher Hotels’
numbers allow for the perfect sized groups to sit down, have dinner and a drink and play trivia. “The most important advice I would give to publicans is to be aware of the different quality of
March 2021 | 13
Get more sports fans in your venue, more often Foxtel Business has partnered with MatchPint to help our subscribers sell more beer, attract new customers, boost your venue’s presence in Google and much more!
^Offer applies to MatchPint’s “Foxtel tier” (market tier). Offer available until 30 June 2021. Only available to active Foxtel Business customers. Upon expiration of the 24-month period, you will be given the option to continue with your MatchPint account at your cost. If you cancel your Foxtel subscription during the 24 month period, your access to the MatchPint Foxtel tier will automatically cease. *For fixtures to automatically display on your website, an XML feed or widget will need to be set up. BUS0476
What’s in it for me? ✓ Exclusive 24-month access to a MatchPint
profile and features at no extra charge^
✓ Save time by marketing a week’s worth of
fixtures online in minutes*
✓ Keep sports fans coming back by activating
ready-made promotions in your venue
✓ Save hundreds of dollars on graphic design
with a bespoke social media asset creator
✓ Boost your presence in Google searches,
so your venue is seen by more sports fans.
How do I get MatchPint? Visit foxtelmatchpint.com.au to get on board and MatchPint will contact you to activate your profile.
If you have any questions, contact our Business Customer Service and Support Team. email: Foxtel.business@foxtel.com.au call: 1300 736 104
ENTERTAINMENT
trivia packages in the market. Another point to note is if you are going to give trivia a go, you need to give it an honest go. I recommend running trivia for 12 weeks and doing appropriate marketing for the events you run. Anything new is difficult, but if you stick to it, I can almost guarantee you will have a successful event,” states Oppy. St Kilda’s Freddie Wimpoles, on top of hosting successful live music events weekly, has held a packed trivia night since 2017, partnering with Shit Pub Trivia. Freddie’s general manager Miff Smith said the pub was opened in May 2016 and while still relatively new to the St Kilda scene, decided to host an event to create a connection with the locals. “We wanted to establish something that people would come down for week in, week out and create that regular weekday crowd that can be so important for trade. From memory, it started off a little slow – as events sometimes do before you get a following – but within three weeks we were pumping. It’s been a success every week since, rain or shine.” Freddie’s well-built trivia night was put on hold however, when the pub’s capacity was restricted to just 10 patrons. Once capacity increased, Freddie’s decided it would prioritise the return of trivia. “We ended up doing our first trivia night back when it was still a requirement that all service had to be from the table but the crowd definitely still showed up. Regular faces we hadn’t seen in months came and filled up the bar and we were happy as hell to see them. “Since then, we’ve hosted Shit Pub Trivia every Tuesday without fail, and our crowd of regulars have absolutely followed suit. It’s pretty much been a full house weekly.” Smith said running a trivia night is essential to every venue to draw in and keep a regular weekday
Cooler months offers perfect time for mid-week trivia While the upcoming colder months of the year may deter some patrons from attending on-premise venues. Oppy Entertainment founder Jordan Oppy believes it is the perfect time to start hosting trivia events to keep business ticking. “For the immediate future we are set on offering the perfect indoor pub entertainment for venues, which will prove important as we enter the colder winter months ahead,” he said. “We don’t want to hijack the screens and have boring visuals for everyone to see, so we added our HiRes imagery to entertain even those not involved directly in the trivia event. It’s the exact easy entertainment publicans are after.”
crowd. “You can’t just rely on the weekends if you’re trading seven days, and it’s great in the colder, quieter winter months when you’ve got a solid group that you can count on to come in and fill the place up.” Hosting live sporting events, local bands or midweek trivia is an integral part of a venue’s ability to bring in and keep a regular crowd. With capacity numbers increasing in early 2021, the new COVIDcrowd has changed and is actively seeking a night of entertainment.
16 | Australian Hotelier
DRAUGHT PRODUCTS
High-tech quality control Draught beers may have different identities but what truly sets them apart is the quality control process used to ensure the perfect end product. Daniel Hughes investigates.
IF THERE’S one drink that changes visual
data showing the temperature, and orientation of
aesthetic and taste when poured, it’s beer. From
each keg as well as if the keg has been cleaned or
the moment the bartender pulls down the tap
filled, is being off-loaded from a truck or is ready
handle and tilts the chilled glass, all eyes are on
for collection at a venue.
them. Too much froth on the top and the initial
hospitality around the world, I’ve always thought it
consumer to drink. Too little and it not only loses
would be fascinating if kegs could tell their story.
aesthetic but it also loses aroma.
Knowing exactly how each keg travels through the
However, when properly poured, the beer
supply chain will help us all to do it better. We have
produces aromas and flavours that can only be
an exciting technology and growth journey ahead,”
present at the right conditions, and with the
Kegstar’s Chief Kegsecutive Christian Barden adds.
agitation of a proper pour.
Having recently released a customised purposefit tracking and monitoring solution, Keg rental
Keg tech revolutionises quality control
business Konvoy Group also knows what it takes to
Ensuring the most crisp taste for a consumer
to track the real-time location of kegs to ensure
after it leaves the brewery lies with keg control.
efficient keg collection.
ensure quality. Its technology allows all keg owners
Taking the leap in to IoT technology at the end of
This solution gives Konvoy and its customers the
2020 was keg rental business Kegstar. It launched
opportunity to optimise existing assets and use their
Project Starlight, sending more than 11,000 kegs
kegs more than the average use of three or four
with its new IoT-enabled keg tracking system into
times per year. Since rolling out in late 2020, Konvoy
the market before December 2020. The initiative
has received positive feedback from clients for its
provides the exact real-time location of every keg
keg tracking technology.
and gives detailed information of its contents. Project Starlight also allows customers to tap into
18 | Australian Hotelier
“With more than two decades in beer and
sips are unenjoyable and offer less mass for the
“We have more than three per cent of our fleet currently fitted with our Kegfox tracking and are
DRAUGHT PRODUCTS
finding the location data we are receiving has assisted in reducing the time in the removal of the kegs and also increase our keg availability to our
How to pour a great beer
customers,” operations manager Marc Eggins said.
Young Henry’s director Oscar
spent at a venue by about seven days, enabling us to better service venues
Despite the technology available through keg rental companies,
McMahon suggests:
Australian Venue Co provides another solution for publicans looking to
“A great draught beer should
ensure draught beer quality. General manager of beer, Bobby Henry, said
be poured into a closely
venues are trialling various different technologies to measure temperature,
held, spotlessly clean glass
pressure and volumes.
at an angle of around 45
“Rather than at the keg itself – this tool is used after the fob and before the taps. With an increase in quality across every aspect of our venues, this is something that we are actively ensuring we keep an eye on and make improvements in this area.”
Keg control adding value to beer offerings Kegstar’s head of customer kegsperience Chris Hill believes the quality of a beer and the importance of coordination in the logistics chain is directly intertwined to ultimately provide a better end product. ‘’Knowing this project can lead to a fresher beer reaching a customer’s
degrees (it should be close but the tap should never touch the glass). The glass should be filled to about two thirds or three quarters full before being rested briefly until the turbidity of the pour stops swirling beneath and joins the forming head. The remainder of the beer should then be poured directly into
glass is what makes it worthwhile. We’re giving our customers access to
the glass, held straight, an
potentially game-changing live data, showing exactly what’s happening to
inch or two below the tap
each keg on route to venues. Meaning we can all work together towards
to continue building the
the perfect draught pour, every time.” Melbourne’s The Local Taphouse co-owner Justin Joiner said the growing awareness for the importance of cold chain logistics is highlighting the need to maintain a keg’s temperature. “All our kegs are stored cold. Fortunately, many kegs arrive cold these days which is great. Cold storage is crucial for extending a beer’s shelf life and avoiding faults.” It’s no secret Melbournians, like many Australians, have an insatiable
head that was formed in the first pour. The head should be as thick as a pointer finger when complete as all those little bubbles, when bursting into your nose whilst drinking, send all the hop notes and malty esters straight into your nose
thirst for quality draught beer. Joiner said the quality of the beer needs to
informing and improving
be a top priority all the way from its raw ingredients right through to when
your flavour experience.”
the punter takes a sip. Similarly to Joiner, Henry said AVC monitors the
March 2021 | 19
DRAUGHT PRODUCTS
A beer aficionado’s top tips The Local Taphouse co-owner Justin Joiner’s tips for maintaining quality beer: • Buy beer from great breweries – from ones you know care about quality as much The Local Taphouse
as you do. • Only purchase enough kegs to get you through the week to ensure you’re
popularity of beers in its venues to ensure that kegs are regularly switched out to fresh beer. “We also aim on keeping our stock holding low so we are tapping the freshest beer possible. More recently, we have implemented a systematic review
constantly buying fresh kegs. Once the kegs arrive, keep them cold. • Keep the cellar, beer lines and taps clean - a great beer can become an awful one quickly if the beer system isn’t maintained to an exceptionally high standard. • Make sure your glassware is clean. Soak and scrub all glasses weekly and use high quality glass washers.
of our beer quality. In the past beer quality is often looked at in a subjective way. The new approach we are rolling out is a more objective measurement of beer quality. “This will allow us to compare quality between venues within the group but also objectively compare ourselves with others around us. With this information we can make data-based decisions on what is the best action to take to improve our quality.” Welcoming customers into the post-COVID world needs to be done with quality products. Ensuring the beer’s quality from the brewery, through the transport phrase and ultimately into a nice cold clean glass should be each publican’s goal. With growing consumer confidence in returning to on-premise venues on the rise, it’s each publican’s chance to ensure it sources the best for their customers.
20 | Australian Hotelier
Kegstar’s IoT-enabled kegs
ACCOMMODATION
The Country Club Hotel in Finley
A room at the Boatrowers Hotel in Stockton, NSW The Telegraph Hotel in Numurkah, Victoria
Deluxe bathrooms at the Marion Hotel, Adelaide The Victoria King Room at the Telegraph Hotel
22 | Australian Hotelier
ACCOMMODATION
A domestic market
Pub accommodation took a hit in early 2020, however, rising domestic travel trends indicate 2021 will be a positive year of recovery if the home-grown market is targeted.
THE PUB accommodation scene had its world rocked
and clear and cohesive state border rules will also
last year. From the outset, Australia was feeling
be a key to the industries recovery in 2021.
the affects of the 2019/2020 bushfire season. Only
“We will be heavily reliant on domestic travel this
two months later when the recovery had begun, the
year. There are a lot of people wondering where the
COVID-19 pandemic outbreak struck.
next lockdown might be. Hopefully, the rollout of
AHS Advisory research confirmed the toll from a
the vaccine will give people the confidence to book
year of interrupted travel on the accommodation
and will give states the confidence not to close their
sector, stating that occupancy levels slumped to
borders with less than 24 hours notice.”
28 per cent Australia-wide in capital cities and 31 per cent in regional areas during June 2020. There
Locked down on the border
is however, a brighter future predicted this year
One of the businesses on the receiving end of the
with regional and metropolitan areas forecasted to
border closure effects is the Finley Country Club.
Research reveals domestic travel trend
increase to 60 per cent in December 2021.
The NSW Southern Riverina pub, located about 15
Research by Hoo
Pub Rooms director Ralph Kelly said the accommodation industry had to reinvent itself during the last 12 months and now relies heavily
minutes from the Victorian/NSW border, recorded a 45 per cent drop in accommodation bookings in 2020. Publican Rick Shaw said after a positive
on intrastate travellers due to the threat of border
2019 when the pub filled 80 per cent of its
has revealed
closures and international travel lockdowns in
accommodation capacity, strict border closures in
a swing of 14
place. He believes the best way forward is to
March, travel bans throughout mid-2020, and the
continue adapting policy and
constant threat and implementation of short-term
pricing strategies.
border closures led to its occupancy levels dropping
per cent in domestic versus international travel
“Due to isolation, there is no doubt the road
in February 2020
to recovery will be long and hard,” Kelly added.
and February 2021.
to about 35 per cent. “As a border pub we were really affected, as soon
“However, Australians are optimistic and innovative
as the border closed, the Melbourne through-traffic
– now is the time to work together. Pub Rooms’
vanished,” he told Australian Hotelier. “We also
services are meticulously tailored to each individual
had a reduction in reps and people from Melbourne
client’s geographical location, focussing on what
coming up to enjoy our warmer climate.”
guest segments will provide hoteliers with new guest opportunities.” Kelly noted that while mid-week occupancy is still
Shaw was quick to analyse the pandemic’s disruption to the business and re-focused its accommodation marketing strategy. He utilised
in recovery, weekend occupancy levels are positive.
periods of relaxed restrictions in regional NSW to
He believes more work is still to be done but
focus on creating a restaurant-orientated experience
believes “2021 will be interesting as we hope city
to encourage intrastate visitation. He also focused
locations start to stabilise and the business segment
on marketing the cleanliness of the rooms to install
gradually returns”.
confidence in those wary of sanitation.
Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson added that a successful vaccine rollout
“We learnt to think on our feet and introduced themed accommodation packages and offered
March 2021 | 23
ACCOMMODATION
dynamic discounts which we didn’t need to do before the pandemic. We made a push in all our advertising websites for our empty rooms and pushed the cleanliness, great beds and hospitality we offer.” Experiencing similar difficulties in Adelaide was the Marion Hotel. Having opened in late 2019, the South Australian hotel was projecting a busy opening year for its accommodation and overall business. However, it felt the immediate impacts of the pandemic lockdowns and border closures. “The first part of the COVID lockdowns was brutal to our occupancy levels,” hotel manager Anna Hurley said. “Very slowly business started to come back with some selfisolators staying with us, and when our borders opened to other states we had medical and elective surgery patients from the Northern Territory come and stay with us too.” Hurley said by the time it could open for functions, the demand for Marion’s accommodation had improved. It adjusted its marketing strategies and policy procedures to ensure customer loyalty and to attract new clients.
Marion Hotel changed its rates and booking policies to regain market share.
“To help us regain the market share we lost, our main aim was getting our rates right. We couldn’t have them too low or too high that it prevented people from staying with us. We also changed our policies to abolish non-refundable bookings and instituted a 24/7 cancellation policy.”
Intrastate travel market key
Dr Whiteley’s accommodation cleaning tips PROTECT YOUR WORKERS Cleaners are among the most at-risk people within the facility. Ensure they maintain safe hand hygiene practices and use an
Hurley added that one of the key demographics to target will be
alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) that meets the WHO guidelines
in publicans’ own backyards.
for formulation or, even better, a TGA-registered product.
“One of our key strategies last year was to target regional South Australians through digital spheres. People are nervous
KNOW YOUR CLEANING PRODUCT
to go interstate and cannot travel overseas but are still keen to
Understand what your cleaning chemicals can do and, when it
explore intrastate. If you provide that option, they will take it,”
comes to disinfecting, what they are proven to kill. Remember that
Hurley added.
a higher concentration doesn’t mean a better outcome and that
Johnson said regional accommodation has felt the same affect, with accommodation situated three to four hours outside of metropolitan areas already starting to fully benefit from the
all products require a contact time to effectively kill bacteria and viruses. This is particularly important when cleaning body fluids.
current domestic travel trend. According to CBRE Australia’s
USE A COLOUR CODED CLOTH AND MOP SYSTEM
research report ‘The Regional Travel Renaissance’, regional
It may seem obvious but in commercial facilities it’s often the
operators had already started benefiting from the absence of
case that the same cloths and mops are used to clean all surfaces
international holidaying by August last year.
and sections of the building. To reduce the risk of cross-
“An uplift in this space will continue to be supported by a
contamination, ensure staff use different coloured cloths for
displaced domestic outbound holiday market – representing
different areas (bathrooms, kitchens, high-touch items etc.) and
an opportunity for local operators to capitalise on this high-
that they remain separated when laundered.
yielding segment,” director of CBRE’s capital markets, Tom Gibson said. A clear trend in intrastate travel has been predicted in 2021.
MOVE CLEAN TO DIRTY Start with clean surfaces and progressively move to the dirtiest,
The publicans who will most benefit from this trend will be
finishing with the toilet. When finished, discard your gloves and
those making adjustments to policy and price strategies to take
wash your hands (or use an ABHR) before donning a fresh pair
full advantage of Australia’s domestic travel trend.
and moving to the next room.
24 | Australian Hotelier
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The Craft Bar
DESIGN & BUILD
The locals’ local
When Craig Shearer purchased the Terminus Hotel in North Fitzroy, he did so with the objective to create a larger geographic reach for the beloved suburban pub. “It’s a really strong locals’ local. It’s a corner pub and has been a good solid performer for a long period of time, looking after its locals with good food and good service,” explained Shearer. “I felt that it was really tired and hadn’t had a lot of love for over a fair period of time, but was still popular. I definitely thought it was a business I
Revenue rising
could add some value to.”
Shearer (ex Beer Deluxe founder and director of Open Arms Hospitality), purchased the Terminus
Within only
took over the pub just in time for Christmas, and
Hotel in Melbourne’s North Fitzroy in the second
a couple of
would have to shut the venue three months later,
months since the
for one of the longest collective shutdown periods
renovations were
mandated in the country in response to COVID
COLLECTIVE HEADS, the pub group led by Craig
half of 2019. As Shearer’s own local, he was drawn to the Termi – as it’s affectionately known – as it had a
completed The
After a long settlement, Shearer and his team
outbreaks.
loyal following even though its offering was a little
Terminus Hotel’s
tired. He saw plenty of potential in the pub which
revenue is up
amount of time after taking the business could
just needed a bit of a refresh after several years
100 per cent
easily dishearten other operators, Shearer decided
without an update.
year on year.
to use the shutdown to his advantage, compressing
26 | Australian Hotelier
While such a prolonged closure after only a small
DESIGN & BUILD
a comprehensive renovation of
contemporary, but making it a softer
the pub into two stages (one per
and warmer space that would not be
shutdown), instead of what had
so inherently masculine.
originally been planned as a much
“It was already servicing locals
longer staged refurbishment of the
really well, but we felt by just
pub that addressed a section of the
making it a bit warmer and a
offer at a time.
nicer environment to be in that we
In the first shutdown the pub’s
could expand the target audience
façade was given a new coat of
geographically – which we have been
paint, and the public bar, corner
able to do,” states Shearer.
bar and courtyard beer garden were
Jon Mikulic, director of Newline
all given a cosmetic once-over. As
Design, who also worked on the
a last-minute addition, some of
project agrees and says it’s an issue
the rear carpark space was turned
with older pubs in general that
into a marquee beer garden to take
publicans are currently addressing.
advantage of new initiatives by the
“Pubs have traditionally been very
Victorian government and VCGLR
masculine and had big, loud areas
to promote and increase outdoor
and we have always approached pub
patronage of on-premise venues
renovations to try and soften them up
during the pandemic. During the
and make them more approachable
second shutdown, a more extensive
to everyone. So you don’t feel
renovation of the pub’s dining room,
uncomfortable if you come with your
private dining area and first-floor
family, or of a group of girls or a
function space was undertaken.
group of guys come in.” Besides softening the spaces
Expanding the market
the other major component of the
The major driver behind the
renovation was to ensure that there
renovation was to make the pub
was something for every kind of
attractive to an even larger local
desired experience within the venue
market. This would be done by
– hence the overhaul of every space
not only making the space more
within the pub.
The elevated dining room
The new function room bar
March 2021 | 27
DESIGN & BUILD
“There are multiple different experiences in multiple different rooms to be had now. No matter who you are, I think you’ll find a spot that you’ll love in the pub,” states Shearer. Both the Craft Bar and the Corner Bar – the pub’s more traditional public bar - have had superficial enhancements to make them more inviting spaces. This included new bar fronts and backs, a fresh coat of paint, new flooring and lighter-hued furniture, as well as acoustic enhancements. The new beer garden took over some of the car park and was installed with marquees, turf flooring
The 150-pax beer garden
and sturdy furniture to create a new 150-pax capacity outdoor space at a time when every person allowed to frequent the venue is crucial. “It happened very quickly just prior to reopening, but we increased the capacity for outdoor, which turned out to be probably the best thing we did,” suggests Shearer. The rear dining area, which connected the Corner Bar’s bistro area to the more formal dining room, had previously been an underutilised, dark and unwelcoming space. Instead it’s been turned into a pre- and post-dinner drinks space where patrons can enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine in a more refined environment. “This intermediate space is now called the wine room and has beautiful wine racks and spirits in cabinetry, a new tessallated tile floor, and moody lighting. It’s a nice little holding pen before and after a dinner,” explains Mikulic. The dining room was also overhauled, to create a more upmarket environment to match the head chef’s offering of dry-aged beef – also on display in cabinetry. Booth seating wrapping around two walls of the room, as well as private dining spaces and artwork that is all linked to the Fitzroy area really elevates the space. The renovation was then completed with the opening up of the first floor functions space. The area was transformed from a warren of small rooms into one big and bright function space, complete with a new bar, and sliding doors so that the area could be sectioned off according to the size of the function. The complete transformation of the pub’s spaces has been welcomed by returning regulars, as well as a whole new set of locals. “The response has been amazing. Our locals were already really supportive of us right through COVID and our objective of extending our target market has been successful,” says Shearer. Mikulic congratulated Shearer and his team for having the temerity to ramp up the renovations during the shutdown. “Publicans generally don’t like to close their pubs, so that’s why they normally wind up with a staged process – which is fair enough when they don’t want to lose trade. But 2020 being what it was, it just meant that they could actually keep pushing on, and the Collective Heads team were brave enough to actually push on. A lot of people shied away from that sort of thing – there’s not many that really took advantage of it, but they were bold enough to keep going.” The decision has paid off for Shearer and the venue, with revenue being up 100 per cent year on year. “We put a lot of time, effort and love into the venue and it’s certainly paying dividends now.”
28 | Australian Hotelier
SHOWCASING YOUR WARES Jon Mikulic says that a lot the new detailed design in the Terminus Hotel was all about highlighting exactly what the pub had to offer. “There’s a lot of attention to detail, and the detail is all about showcasing product – whether that be beer, wine, beef, etc. It’s a real showcase so that people know what’s on offer immediately, without having to dive head-first into a menu to search out what’s going on.”
61 2 9660 8299 paulkellydesign.com.au
Ruse Bar and Brasserie Parramatta
The Komo Hotel
TALES FROM THE TOP
A community minded approach to hiring
Chris Allison Queensland regional manager Lewis Land Group
Hiring will be a key component in the recovery of the hospitality industry, Chris Allison told Australian Hotelier. He believes the success of a venue lies with hiring from within its community.
HE MAY have started from humble beginnings, but Lewis Land
which is also part of the LLG portfolio. The experience of running
Group’s (LLG) Queensland regional manager Chris Allison never
and living at the Inn made it a 24/7 job for Allison.
took his opportunity to learn the keys to success for granted. His well-established career and life experiences have taught
“Working as a country publican taught me how important the value of being involved in the community is. It is becoming more
him the importance of hiring locally and immersing his hotels
important in today’s industry. I was a proper innkeeper, to live
into the community. The most recent example of Allison walking
and breathe the hotel and the community.
the walk is with LLG’s latest purchase, The Komo (formerly Mon Komo Hotel). The hotel has recently undertaken a major refurbushment. With plans to open it this month, Allison is hoping to employ more than 100 people from within the local Moreton Bay community. It’s not the first time Allison has made hiring locally a priority,
“There are a lot of communities which are heavily localised and proud to be so. It translates to each of our venues – we are proud of how we apply that country pub mentality by integrating ourselves directly into the community.” For Allison, hiring local staff does more than just support the economy or improve employment rates in the region. It also
with one of LLG’s leading venues The Belvedere Hotel – located
provides each venue the chance to develop its own personality
less than a 10 minute drive from The Komo – also staffed mainly
which he recommends each publican considers when hiring.
by people from the region. According to Allison, once both
“I want the culture of the Komo to be similar to how we
locations are fully staffed, it will be the second largest employer in
progress with all of our venues. We learnt that, through time,
the Bay community.
each venue needs to have its own organic growth and its own
“We’ve developed a strong footprint with The Belvedere and
personality. While we instilled the same method and building
jumped at the opportunity to expand just four kilometres away
blocks to each of our hotels, we allow the communities
at The Komo. I’m really excited for the opportunity. It’s a bit of a
within each venue to grow and let it naturally evolve, which
cliché in the industry but we’re in a people business. We’ve got a
is very exciting.
product and a plan, and we need great people to help us provide that,” he added. Allison’s philosophy for community engagement did not happen
“Employing local is an important part of that process. We want our venues to also be the local of our employees and our patrons. They need to feel empowered and take the responsibility for their
overnight. Instead, it stems back to his early publican days,
venues and for their jobs. And for us to have the ability to create that
running the Camden Valley Inn just outside of greater Sydney,
and offer the best support for our staff and management is special.”
30 | Australian Hotelier