5 minute read
IN FOCUS: CURRUMBIN RSL
Decked out
Australians love being outdoors, and at Currumbin RSL every detail of The Deck has been thought through to provide an optimal al fresco experience.
-By Lizzie Hunter.
AS THE WEATHER warms up, Australians begin returning to their natural habitat – the outdoors. Australians love a beer garden, a courtyard, a bowls green or a deck, as it’s the perfect place to enjoy a meal and beverage in the spring and summer months.
For many clubs and RSLs, having a large and inviting outdoor area is a major drawcard for their business, attracting more patrons wanting to take advantage of the warmer weather with an alfresco style experience when dining out with friends or family.
The Deck at Currumbin RSL on the Gold Coast is one such space. The outdoor area overlooks Currumbin Creek and is where you’ll find the majority of the club’s patrons.
Currumbin RSL’s Marketing & Communications Manager Marc Thompson says ‘The Deck’ is one of the RSL’s major drawcards.
“The Deck features uninterrupted views of Currumbin Creek, providing the perfect location for people to sit, relax and enjoy the view with friends and family,” says Thompson.
“On the Gold Coast, everyone loves being outdoors, whether that’s having dinner with family or a beer with a mate. It’s a lifestyle choice that we cater to specifically at The Deck.”
Form and function
Ensuring there is a table for everyone, no matter the party size, plays a big role in attracting and keeping patrons on site, according to Thompson.
“We provide a variety of outdoor furniture options on The Deck, from low-seating comfortable chairs to high bar tables and bar stools to cater to the needs of large and small groups in the space,” Thompson explains.
“We’ve found our lower, comfortable chairs work really well for smaller groups who have come to The Deck to relax and enjoy the view, whereas the high bar tables work really well for larger groups, who often book out sections of The Deck for their exclusive function or celebration. I think the key is ensuring there is always a table for someone.”
Currumbin RSL recently installed new doors to expand the outside offering to other areas in the club.
“We recognised the growing trend of patrons preferring to sit outside throughout the year, so we recently installed bi-fold doors across the side of the RSL overlooking the creek,” said Thompson. “The doors allow us to bring the outside ambiance into the club for more people to enjoy.”
Entertainment and atmosphere
In the warmer months, Currumbin RSL hosts a Tuesday night live music act on The Deck to increase patronage throughout the week.
“People love live music on a summer afternoon, and since there is a bit more daylight in the summer months, we trialled hosting a live music act during the week to increase the number of visitors to The Deck,” says Thompson.
“The Tuesday night performance is really popular and we’re looking forward to relaunching it this summer. It’s another way to get those extra visits in during the week, rather than relying on people visiting us for live music on the weekends.
“We have free live music on the deck every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and also have music playing when there isn’t a live artist performance to maintain the overall vibe, make it a nice space to eat, drink and enjoy the location and view.
“We also have three large TVs out on the Deck that face towards the club which we use for big sporting events and also for general advertising.”
Currumbin RSL also regularly collaborates with drinks brands to have pop-up bars out on The Deck.
“Everyone wants to make the most of the extra daylight during the summer months, and the pop up bars contribute to creating a party-like atmosphere out on The Deck and create a feelgood summer vibe for patrons,” says Thompson.
While The Deck menu mirrors the menu that’s been served inside Currumbin RSL, the club generally opts for lighter, fresher menu options during the warmer months.
“We also update our bar menus to include summer versions of certain drinks and cocktails to ensure we have provide a real summer offering that can also be utilised around the whole club.”
An all-weather option
In 2019, Currumbin RSL installed a large roof over ‘The Deck’ to ensure patrons could continue enjoying the outdoor space despite any changes in the weather.
“We previously had umbrellas installed to provide shade on hot summer days but found we lost a lot of patrons when the rain came as no one wanted to sit in the outdoor space,” says Thompson.
“Now with the roof installed, we maintain the RSL’s prime position for patrons to sit outdoors and enjoy the views whether it’s sunny, cloudy or raining, while also maintaining space for those who would prefer to sit in the sun or under the shade of an umbrella.
“Due to our close proximity to Currumbin Creek, we also experience some lovely cool breezes coming off from the water which helps maintain the outdoor temperature.”
Thompson says Currumbin RSL is well positioned to continue serving the local community as we head into warmer weather.
“There are a lot of competing venues around the area that also have amazing views, but we believe people continue coming back to ‘The Deck’ due to the overall ambiance of our venue; not only do we have beautiful water views, there is always some form of music playing to set the scene, the area is large and spacious to cater to any part size and our food and beverage offering is second to none.”
