Lady Daly

WORDS: LUCY BREWER

Eliza Linn opened The Lady Daly in 1864. She and her husband owned a soap factory on the site but after his death, she decided to open a pub.

The Lady Daly has seen many owners and adaptations since then. Most recently, Mandy Collins, whose Port Adelaide roots and a fascination with the Lady Daly’s rich history saw her take over the ownership in 2014.

As a hospitality veteran, she prizes classic service and a welcoming environment, and has always wanted the Lady Daly to be a place people can call home (without having to do the dishes).

“Friendships are born out of banter and people always return to the pub to see their friends, no matter which side of the bar they are on,” she said.

Last year marked a pivotal new age for the hospitality industry, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing venue closures and capacity restrictions.

“Obviously closing the doors last year had such a huge impact on our morale straight off the bat, but my concern extended beyond the staff and to more vulnerable members of our community who rely on us for interaction and social contact,” said Mandy.

“From a business point of view, it has been extremely difficult, as we feed off events at Coopers Stadium and the Entertainment Centre, both of which were also heavily impacted during this time.

Even when events resumed, the nature of COVID-19 meant games were constantly being rescheduled or cancelled, with no predictability for business.

This uncertainty has become synonymous with the new era, the new normal, the COVID-safe world society has had to make peace with. It was a difficult year, one that required support, strength and the ability to get comfortable with being vulnerable.

“Over the years, it has become more and more apparent to me that discussing mental health in an open way with your staff is only going to lead to a strong, productive and loyal team,” said Mandy.

She took the lessons learned from the increase in blackouts over the past seven years to plan what would be during lockdowns.

“We were in a much better position to discuss our limits and boundaries, our fears and anxieties and grow together not just as a team, but as a family.

“There were additional elements to contemplate, such as the possibility that we, or our loved ones could become ill, or timelines being very open ended … we just concentrated on adapting those initial plans to take these things into consideration.”

COVID-19 restrictions remain in place for hospitality venues, with a capacity of 75%. Mandy said this recent adjustment should result in a vast improvement for business.

“It has been one of the most difficult things these last eightmonths to say no to functions due to capacity,” she said.

“The state around us appears to have returned to normal. It hasnot only seemed like a slap in the face to the industry overall,it has sometimes been hard to appease the customer whoseperception is they can do whatever they like in Bunnings andColes, for example, but get told they can’t see that band playing inthe beer garden because the space is at capacity.”

“Over the years, it has become more and more apparent to me that discussing mental health in an open way with your staff is only going to lead to a strong, productive and loyal team.”

In Mandy’s opinion, the end of JobKeeper was always going tocome with a lift in restrictions but she believes more must bedone.

“We can cross our fingers and lobby that restrictions will be liftedagain as we move into the colder months, as this could makea big difference in a time of year where we traditionally have towork harder to attract the punters.”

As for the future of the Lady Daly, Mandy said her faith is in theloyal Port Adelaide community.

“We were very blessed to have so many regulars who pushed tosupport us once we re-opened and even many new faces who

now understand the importance of shopping and eating locally. Ithas only made us want to give back more and continue to buildthat bond,” she said.

“We are repeatedly working on events designed specifically forlocals. We’re hiring local artists, authors and musicians, aligningwith other small businesses in the area and supporting localcharities, which can only bring about positive change.”

“We are dog friendly!”

“Everyone likes dogs, right?”