Australian Hotelier April 2017

Hotelier AUSTRALIAN

AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

vol. 34 no.3 - APRIL 2017

IN THIS ISSUE: PUB LEADERS SUMMIT REVIEW | SPIRITS | MADE IN AUSTRALIA

FULL PAGE ADVERT

2016 RAINMAKER EXCELLENCE AWARDS

CONTENTS | ED’S NOTE

Vanessa Cavasinni

Editor’s Note

I

t’s been a big month for Australian Hotelier, with the successful hosting of the second Pub Leaders Summit, in partnership with Intrust Super. The event covered a large variety of pub operations and talked about the changing face of pub operations, touching on topics like the rising movement towards veganism, the impending issue of legislation or litigation around menu classifications, and how to interpret data that has been collected and what to do with it.

Plenty of ideas where shared and the discussions were frank. Delegates left with plenty of information to mull over and implement in their own ways into their venues. We cannot wait to see where the Summit will take us next year – we’ve already started the planning process! For a better idea of what transpired at the Pub Leaders Summit, check out our review on page 10.

In this issue, we’ll also be looking at the changing of the seasons and how this affects your drinks list (p 16), and talk to kitchen and bar duo Ben Varela and Kurtis Bosley about their continuing partnership in pubs (p 24) – among other great features, of course!

Cheers,

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Vanessa Cavasinni, Editor P: 02 8586 6201 | E: vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au

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Contents | April Special Features 9 10

ED’S PICK

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22

NEXT MONTH

Preparing for Winter: A checklist for optimal venue heating.

PLS Review: Regional opportunities, police relationships, live music strategies and more.

Winter Cocktails: Update your menu with seasonal flavours.

Made In Australia: Locally produced goods and services for your pub.

Family Friendly: Luring families to your venue on public holidays.

24

A dynamic duo: Ben Varela and Kurtis Bosley of PHMG talk about their holistic approach to venues.

Regulars 6 26

3

LIVE!

News: The latest happenings around the country.

Design and Build: Tower Hotel – waking a sleeping giant in Adelaide.

Sports Calendar: We bring you sporting highlights for April.

Bar and Cellar Equipment • Venue Security • Beers For Winter

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4 | APRIL 2017 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

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NEWS

L-R: Mark, Wayne, Pam and Neville Bayfield at the opening of Jade’s bistro and bar in Dee Why Hotel

BAYFIELD HOTELS CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY 27 March marked 40 years of operations for Bayfield Hotels, starting with the purchase of the Dee Why Hotel on Sydney’s northern beaches in 1977

by Neville, Wayne and Mark Bayfield – on Wayne’s nineteenth birthday.

The family-owned and operated business currently consists of Dee Why Hotel, Bayfields Liquor Superstore at Dee Why, Bayfields Online and The Light Brigade, but over the four decades the group has also bought and sold The Caringbah Hotel, The Belrose Hotel, Newport Mirage, Narrabeen Sands and The Newport Arms.

In 2015, Wayne’s son Kaine took over as COO of the group, after a lifetime of being immersed in the pub business, and working in every facet of the business – starting out with collecting trollies from bottle shop patrons.

The Dee Why Hotel, the group’s first hotel has come a long way in the last 40 years, as Wayne suggests.

“When I started we had three beers on tap – now over 40 – no TAB, no pokies, no entertainment, not even a ladies toilet in the public bar; just counter meals and a small drive through bottle shop.”

Perhaps the group’s most famous venue was The Newport Arms, which was sold to Merivale in early 2015 – a decision which Kaine says was not an easy one to make: “It was definitely a ‘head first, heart second’ decision.”

Since then, Bayfield Hotels purchased The Light Brigade in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, and is now reaping the rewards of adding a rooftop bar and a cocktail lounge to the pub’s offering.

“The rooftop’s been going really well and the Lounge has helped change the vibe of the whole pub. It’s been going strong,” stated Kaine.

While it has been an eventful 40 years for the Bayfields, it is arguably the people involved that have made it a success – especially family. Kaine would not be averse to his children wanting to join the family business if they wanted to.

“Not only me but my sisters and cousins, and even brothers-in-law, have all worked in the pubs and the option will always be here if they

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Neville and Pam Bayfield want to work in the pubs, we’re more than happy to have them. We love our family and we’ve always worked well as a family. But if they ever want to do something else, we’re not going to make them do something they’re not happy doing.”

At Dee Why Hotel, which has seen many changes over its 40 years in the hands of the Bayfields, patrons have many of different memories of the pub.

“There’s definitely some locals around that I remember from when I was working in the pub [as a kid]. There’s a lot of people that come and talk about the Glider Room or bands they saw at the venue or Jade’s Club, the old night club we had here – depending on the era of when they started frequenting the pub.”

Celebrations for the anniversary will begin on 27 March at Dee Why Hotel, with limited edition brew the 1977 Pale Ale, a collaboration with White Rabbit, sold while stocks last. There will also be trips down memory lane out in display throughout the venue.

Wayne Bayfield has also taken the time to reflect on the group’s achievements.

“Proudly family-owned and operated on the northern beaches, we are honoured to be celebrating this milestone. We couldn’t have done it without our dedicated staff, and the ongoing loyalty and support from our customers, so we thank you.”

NEWS

L-R: Hon Marlene Kairouz, Carolyn Cresswell and Kimberley Malcolm

CONTRIBUTOR’S

PANEL

AHA (VIC) WOMEN’S NETWORK LAUNCHES International Women’s Day, a day where we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women was the perfect day to launch the AHA (Vic) Women’s Network.

The AHA (Vic) Women’s Network was born out of a love of sharing stories, celebrating wins and supporting each other through the tougher times. The network is a new initiative for the AHA, creating occasions for like-minded women to come together to listen, to speak, to garner new ideas and to meet new people.

The Honourable Marlene Kairouz, Minister for Gaming and Liquor, launched the network over breakfast at The Langham Hotel and acknowledged the commitment of the Australian Hotels Association in supporting women in the workforce.

“This support is not only evident through wonderful events like today’s launch. In November, I was honoured to attend the Association’s awards night at Crown Palladium.

I was delighted to see that a significant proportion of attendees were women. I was also impressed by the number of women who won an award on the night.

This speaks volumes of the Association’s commitment to fostering the career development of women and I congratulate the organisation on establishing this superb culture.”

We were delighted to have Tabcorp partner with us for the event. Given Tabcorp was recently named Employer of Choice for Gender

Equality by the Federal Government, it was a natural fit to have them partner with us.

Merryl Dooley, Executive GM People, Culture and Communications; and Sharon Broadley, GM Talent and Organisational Development, spoke to the group of 125 women in hospitality about their approach in promoting equality and diversity in the workplace.

“We are thrilled to support AHA Victoria’s inaugural Women’s Breakfast. We have partnered with the AHA for many years with our products enjoyed at venues across the country.

It was inspiring to see so many passionate women celebrate the launch of the Women’s Network on International Women’s Day. “Gender equality is close to our heart at Tabcorp. Last year we were the only gambling company to receive citation from the Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, a citation we worked hard to achieve. I’m delighted to see the AHA putting formal processes in place for women in the hotel industry. The establishment of the Women’s Network is fantastic and we look forward to continuing to support our partners at the AHA on this journey.”

Carolyn Creswell, founder of Carmen’s Fine Foods was the keynote speaker at the launch.

Over 20 years ago, Carolyn purchased a tiny muesli bar business for $1000 and today Carmen’s is the number one selling muesli and bar brand on our supermarket shelves.

Carolyn shared with us her story of growing her small muesli business to now exporting to 32 countries worldwide through funny anecdotes, wonderful pearls of wisdom and inspiring quotes she lives by.

As Rebecca McDonald, Victorian Retail and On-Course Coordinator at Tabcorp told me “Carolyn was fantastic! So relatable, some of the tips really hit home.”

After speaking with some women after the breakfast it was clear the word “no” hit home to many in the room. First of all, Carolyn told us “It’s okay to say a graceful ‘no’”. We can’t be all things to all people and its best just to tell the truth. Saying no gracefully is the first step if we are being asked to do something we just cannot commit to. How about when we hear no? Well as Carolyn pointed out, that no isn’t forever, reminding us that being persistent, passionate and believing in oneself are important characteristics when running your own business.

The breakfast was an inspiring kick start to what we hope will be a successful and supportive network of women within the hospitality industry.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our next Women’s Network events.

Kimberley Malcolm Manager Member Services AHA (Vic)

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER APRIL 2017 | 7

PLS REVIEW

NEW YEAR, NEW IDEAS THE PUB LEADERS SUMMIT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AS THE PUB INDUSTRY DOES, WITH TOPICS LIKE DATA, VEGANISM AND VIRTUAL REALITY BEING DISCUSSED BY PUB OPERATORS.

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n Monday 20 March, 350 publicans and industry representatives attended the Pub Leaders Summit in Sydney – hosted by Australian Hotelier with platinum sponsor Intrust Super in Sydney – to engage in discussions and demonstrations of several different facets of pub operations. As Damian Cunningham of the Live Music Office noted in the panel on live music, “A pub is made up of several different businesses within the one venue.”

Indeed there were several sessions on specific facets of pub operations, including food, beverages, marketing and PR, and HR strategies. Both the conference speakers and delegates were a snapshot of the variety of pub operations and operators, with a good mix between national and multi-venue group operators, single-venue publicans and managers, metropolitan and regional hoteliers. Delegates attended from all across the country, with the eastern seaboard well represented, and a small contingent of delegates from South Australia and Western Australia.

A group of six delegates also attended from New Zealand, to get an understanding of how pub operations differ between the two nations.

Regional operations were the first issue to be covered, with noted publicans Sean O’Hara and Alistair Flower, joined by Steve Howarth, exALH national operations manager, and Mathew George, vice president of investment sales for JLL Hotels & Hospitality to discuss all of the opportunities and challenges particular to operating hotels in regional areas, including ingratiating yourself with the local community. The difficulty of staffing was discussed, with Flower admitting he spends 40 per cent of his time dealing with the HR facet of his business.

There were two presentations that had tongues wagging throughout the day. The first was from Bhavani Baumann, an entrepreneur who opened Australia’s first vegan pub bistro in Sydney last year. Her talk had

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“I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ORGANISERS OF THE 2017 PUB LEADERS’ SUMMIT FOR A WELL ORGANISED AND INSIGHTFUL EVENT. IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR PEERS. THE TOPICS WERE RELEVANT FOR TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT AND THERE WERE MANY KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SESSIONS.” SARAH-ELLEN MAXWELL, GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER, SOLOTEL.

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PLS REVIEW many people wanting to visit the The Green Lion and experience this new concept for themselves. The second was from Jeremy Ward, a partner in Cayas Architects, who showed how the firm is using virtual reality to facilitate pub design. Cayas Architects also gave delegates a taste of the technology on the expo floor.

The last session of the day, looking at the opportunities and issues that lay ahead for the entire industry, featured operators from some of the biggest hotel groups in the country, namely Antony Jones of Merivale, Dan Brady of Redcape, and Grady Patching of Colonial Leisure Group. Some of the big takeaways from that discussion was the importance of data, but more specifically how it is to be interpreted and used by operators most effectively, and the underutilisation of accommodation as a revenue stream.

The expo area also had some great treats for delegates, with food samples from Comcater, beer samples from CUB and Smartbrew, among other fantastic exhibitors showcasing their products and services for the industry.

Feedback from the day proved that it was a useful and important conference for delegates, with panellists sharing their own experiences frankly, and answering many questions from the crowd. Kasie Ferguson and Bianca Sheridan, owner/operator and manager of The Railway Hotel Parkes, were two such delegates who enjoyed the Pub Leaders Summit.

“We both found it fascinating being able to get a little insight into how larger operations work and deal with the same day-to-day things we do.

The different subjects kept things interesting and gave us little bits of inspiration to take all the way back to Parkes,” commented Ferguson.

Networking drinks were sponsored by CUB

“THE PUB LEADERS SUMMIT WAS AN EXTREMELY WELL RUN EVENT (AT A GREAT VENUE) WHICH PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM A VAST ARRAY OF HOSPITALITY LEADERS DISCUSSING IMPORTANT ISSUES RELEVANT TO OUR INDUSTRY.” PETER MCCORMACK, GENERAL MANAGER, THE RAILWAY HOTEL WINDSOR.

DELEGATE SNAPSHOT ATTENDEES

BY STATE

5% 6% 11% 78%

■ New South Wales 78% ■ Victoria 11% ■ South Australia – 5 % ■ Other states and New Zealand – 6%

73%

There was lots of great information to be found on the expo floor

10 | APRIL 2017 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

of delegates were decisionmakers (owner/operators, licensees, management)

46%

of delegates were from regional centres or country towns, up from 10% last year.

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PLS REVIEW

PEARLS OF WISDOM Here’s a quick look at some of the content to come out of the different sessions of the day: • Catherine Slogrove explained how Snapchat geo-filters can be customised cheaply for your venue and for special occasions – Papaya PR created a Pub Leaders Summit geo-filter for the day and with only 25 uses it reached 600 people.

• Jordan Toft, executive chef of Coogee Pavilion and The Newport, stated that the next big issue that hotels are going to have to deal with is litigation surrounding dietary requirement classifications on menus.

• John Green of AHA NSW presented a case study of the Newtown Liquor Accord’s pre-emptive strategy that helped the area avoid lockout legislation. In the same session Superintendent David Donohue, Commander of the Sydney City Local Area Command suggested that illicit drugs are becoming a bigger societal problem than alcohol.

• Ben Pearce, licensee of Beach Road Hotel suggested that rather than trying to get patrons to stay in a venue after a gig, it’s better to implement strategies to get them in the venue beforehand. Clayton Ries of Bald Faced Stag Hotel also recommended that pubs trying to use live music as a profit stream should give it a six-month trial before deciding whether to shelve it or not.

• Sarah-Ellen Maxwell, group HR manager of Solotel, stressed the importance of sitting down with members of staff and writing out an individualised development plan for them. It will motivate them to work hard, and shows that you are committed to your staff.

L-R: Catherine Slogrove, Rebecca Gibbs, Danielle Simpson and Vanessa Cavasinni discussing marketing and PR

“WE BOTH FOUND IT FASCINATING BEING ABLE TO GET A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO HOW LARGER OPERATIONS WORK AND DEAL WITH THE SAME DAY-TO-DAY THINGS WE DO. THE DIFFERENT SUBJECTS KEPT THINGS INTERESTING AND GAVE US LITTLE BITS OF INSPIRATION TO TAKE ALL THE WAY BACK TO PARKES.” KASIE FERGUSON, OWNER-OPERATOR, RAILWAY HOTEL PARKES.

Drinks in front of the Intrust Super stand

Samlpling Smartbrew beers

L-R: Antony Jones, Grady Patching, Dan Brady and Steve Howarth discuss the year ahead Antony Jones

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Bhavani Baumann discussing her vegan pub bistro

SAVE THE DATE

The restaurant sector’s premier conference returns!

MONDAY 31 JULY 2017 ROYAL RANDWICK RACECOURSE If you’re in the business of running restaurants or cafes, this Summit is specifically designed for you! Tickets go on sale in May.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Interested in being an event sponsor and getting in front of the industry’s key influencers?

Contact Dan Shipley on 02 8586 6163 or email dshipley@intermedia.com.au

PREPARING FOR WINTER O

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WAYS TO WARM YOUR VENUE

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egardless of what kind of heating system you use, here are some tips to ensure your venue is heated properly and efficiently.

FIREPLACE • Make sure your fireplace is properly ventilated. Before you start using it for the season, get all the vents professionally tested and cleaned to ensure smoke does not exit the fireplace into your venue.

• Ensure that your fireplace adheres to the relevant fire safety code of your state so that no staff or patrons can be harmed in any way by your fireplace. Make sure that your fireplace is up to date with inspection checks.

• Open the damper and make sure it is completely clear of debris. While the fireplace has not been in use fallen leaves or small animals may have blocked ventilation, and a quick check and scoop out will make sure it’s all clear.

• Make sure the wood you’re using is completely dry – otherwise it will take longer to get the fire going, and will cause excess smoke.

Tip: If you have any plants or flower beds around your venue, spread the leftover ashes from your fire in the pots – they’re a good source of calcium.

AIR-CONDITIONING • Make sure to vacuum or clean your airconditioning filters at least once a month to stop a build-up of dust. If you’re air-

conditioning system uses replaceable filters, ensure that you are replacing them to manufacturer’s specifications.

• Get a professional service for your airconditioning system at least once a year. They can identify and repair any small problems before they become big, costly problems.

• Make sure all your window seals and the seals around your air-conditioning unit are in correct order – if there’s any gaps for the heated air to escape to, you’re system has to work harder to heat the space, and you’ll be using more power – which will be reflected in your electricity bill.

OUTDOOR HEATERS • Make sure your heaters use radiant heat rather than convective heat. Convective heat will just be pushed around in air currents, whereas radiant heat will evenly heat surfaces within its area.

• Gas prices in Australia continue to rise as the supply of the natural resource remains under question nationally. If you use portable gas heaters, it may be time to consider electric alternatives for heating your outdoor spaces.

• If you are using gas heaters, make sure they are protected from the wind on particularly windy days.

• Don’t heat empty areas – if you’ve found the furthest points of your outdoor area are generally unused in the cooler months, then don’t waste energy and resources heating those spaces.

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WINTER COCKTAILS

BRINGING THE HEAT THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS IS THE BEST TIME TO MIX UP YOUR COCKTAIL OFFERING – AND AS THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN, IT’S TIME TO ADD SOME WARMTH TO YOUR DRINKS.

L

ike every other aspect of running a venue, it’s good to change things up on your cocktail list from time to time – it gives people another reason to keep coming back to your venue, giving them something new to try.

Of course, it’s important to strike that balance of keeping best-sellers and the classics, but having some new options regularly appearing throughout the year will help foster repeat business. Updating your menu when the seasons change is a logical step to ensure that your offering is relevant and uses the best and most cost-effective ingredients.

While the warmer months are peak season for cocktail consumption in Australia, this does not mean they should be overlooked in winter. Below are some of the considerations for putting together the optimal cocktail list for autumn and winter in 2017.

DEPTH AND WARMTH When discussing the topic with several bartenders and bar managers, depth and warmth were the two characteristics that were constantly repeated as being essential to any good winter cocktail. Darker spirits tend to instantly bring complexity to a cocktail, so using whiskies, dark rums and brandies as the base of your cocktails is a good place to start.

“These heavier spirits do the job of warming people up, and when mixed correctly make our

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Hotel Bondi’s Raspberry and Pomegranate Mojito will be updated with blackberries and dark rum

customers feel comfy and relaxed,” says Walt Boyd, bar manager of The Duke in Melbourne.

Rajesh Achall is the mixologist at Hotel Bondi, which last year had a significant renovation and transformation to its offering. The cocktail bar is relatively new, and this winter will be its first of service, and Achall is already planning to ensure that that cocktail menu is as appealing as it has been in the summer.

“We like to move away from light spirts such as vodka and white rums as the weather

cools. These spirts work great in the heat, but when it’s cool, you need a spirit with depth and character to warm you up. We’ll be working closely with Diageo and Sweet&Chilli to deliver a list where dark rums, whiskey, peaty whisky, tequila and mezcals will feature.

Sure, they’re harder to work into a cocktail but because of the increased risk, the payoff is worth it. A dark rum cocktail, balanced correctly will have so many small nuances that a classic mojito could never match.”

WINTER COCKTAILS Achall will look at translating some of Hotel Bondi’s best summer sellers with these darker spirits for some guaranteed popular cocktails in the coming months. One such cocktail is the Pomegranate and Raspberry Mojito, which will be updated for seasonality.

“Our current menu, stripped back, is really a twist on classics – for our next we’ll continue this theme. We’ll modify the Pomegranate & Raspberry Mojito, by switching out the raspberries for blackberries and Pampero Blanco for Ron Zacapa.”

At Kingscliff Beach Hotel in northern New South Wales, these darker spirits will also feature heavily on the updated cocktail list, with the venue favouring boutique spirits that add a point of difference.

“We’ll be bringing into winter more of the boutique style spirits such as Ink Gin – which is distilled just around the corner from us – and Baron Samedi spiced rum. The Ink Gin will be enjoyed with [Vok’s] Parfait Amour and Paraiso lychee liqueur to create a mature musk and delightfully flavoured martini. The Baron Samedi will be paired with Kraken dark rum and Licor 43 in a deliciously warming Old Fashioned,” explains David van den Boom, venue manager of the Kingscliff Beach Hotel.

SPICE IT UP Once you have your base spirit, it’s time to add a complementary flavour.

Just as summer cocktails lean towards fruity, tropical flavour profiles, winter cocktails tend more towards earthy spices. At The Duke, Boyd has a ‘Winter Warmers’ section of the cocktail list, where dark spirits are mixed with sweet liqueurs and finished off with a spicy or nutty flavour.

“I like to bring in deeper, warming flavours such as cinnamon, vanilla, spices, plum and even maple syrup. Rich heavy flavours tend to complement the cold weather.”

This winter, Boyd will also be adding a bit of heat to The Duke’s cocktails.

“This winter I want to spice it up a little. I’ll be testing some new pairings with fresh chilli, ginger and spice infused dark spirits.”

At Hotel Bondi, Achall thinks adding a bitter flavour profile to some of the cocktails will keep the drinks intriguing to patrons.

“We’d like to explore the bitter palate a little more: Negronis, Boulevardiers and Americanos. Sweet drinks have greater market penetration but a bitter drink with great aromatics made really well keeps it interesting and encourages repeat business.”

While spices are certainly at the forefront of winter cocktail flavour pairings, this does not mean you can’t use fruit in a winter cocktail. In fact, summer cocktails can easily be transformed into a winter staple with a small tweak or addition.

At Monin, a new cherry syrup has been added to the range, and beverage innovations manager, Tomas Vikario, believes that this flavour – normally associated with summer – can easily be translated into a coolweather cocktail.

The Duke's Paint It Black cocktail made with dark rum and coffee liqueur

WINTER COCKTAILS

CHERRY GIN FIZZ Ingredients 20ml Monin Cherry Fruit Mix 60ml Gin 30ml fresh lemon juice Sparkling water Shake Monin cherry, gin and lemon juice vigorously with ice.

Strain into ice-filled highball glass. Top with sparkling water.

Decorate with fresh fruits.

“By adding just a bit of spice, bartenders could create completely new flavour profiles and twist many cocktails with not much trouble. By adding, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange or chocolate to Monin cherry puree, the combinations are endless. Cherry will pair well with balsamic vinegar too. Bartenders can create a range of hot toddies or mulled wines with these flavour combinations, not to mention twisting the range of classic cocktails like Margaritas and Daiquiris. Or just follow the low ABV cocktail trend by creating a twist on a red wine Sangria.”

ESPRESSO TO IMPRESS Just as coffee culture has become an intrinsic part of Australian consumption, Espresso Martinis are here to stay. With the trend starting in Melbourne, it’s the perfect winter staple on any cocktail list.

“They are a massive part of Melbourne culture at the moment and we won’t be taking them off the menu anytime soon; they’re here to stay,” states Boyd.

Of course, the coffee cocktail is popular all over the country, and venues add their own signatures to this classic drink. Over the summer, Hotel Bondi’s Toasted Coconut Espresso Martini has been doing particularly well, so Achall will be bringing in a few different wintry versions shortly, including dark mint and choc orange varieties.

TROPICAL ALL YEAR ROUND Of course, not everywhere in Australia has distinctive seasons, with north Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory all having very mild winters that normally denote a break in the rain rather than dropping temperatures.

For these tropical locales, the seasons have less influence on the changes in cocktail lists. Take for example the Court House Hotel in Port Douglas. The hotel has recently undergone a significant revamp of

its main bar, with noted stylist Sibella Court giving the bar a new look. As part of the revamp the main bar has brought on new offerings, including coffee, smoothies and cocktails.

Jennie Pickett, marketing manager for the hotel, suggested that the cocktail list would be updated from time to time, but rather than having weather dictate the changes, it would be more about keeping the offering fresh.

“The seasons here are not your normal seasons obviously. Because it’s always warm weather, we can always have pretty fruity summery cocktails.

“It will just be about keeping it exciting, while keeping the summery twist in them. Making sure we just keep changing the offering, because we have so many locals that come here. There’s always going to be a favourite and crowd pleasers, but making sure that they’re not missing out on new trends just because we have warm weather all the time.”

At Court House Hotel, the trend that is currently very popular is the Aperol Spritz – both thanks to its low ABV, and to the familiarity of the drink for European tourists.

As Port Douglas is a tourism region, appealing to overseas guests is a consideration of all the offerings at Court House Hotel, and the cocktail list is no different. Pickett says the next big thing for the pub will be to add a touch of Australiana to the drinks list, using famed Aussie beers in the cocktails.

MAKE YOUR OWN At the Norman Hotel in Brisbane, general manager Andrew Ford wanted to add a unique offering to Norman’s Bar, the large format hotel’s cocktail bar.

He wanted to add something that was only available within the venue. This led to a partnership with Angostura a few years ago, to create the unique Norman’s Spiced Rum, which is infused in the venue.

Aperol Spritzes and Piña Coladas are popular all year round at the Court House Hotel in Port Douglas

Cocktails at Kingscliff Beach Hotel

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Norman Hotel’s original spiced rum

“We can’t tell you how it’s made, our recipe is closely guarded in the vault!

However, it’s created, infused and gently crafted here at the Norman, and left to age for a period of time in our timber oak barrel. It’s very popular with our patrons, particularly our regulars. Slowly sipped over ice or mixed with some fruit-based liqueurs like pear and served with fresh lime juice to take it to the next level.”

The spiced rum even has it’s own logo, and is so popular that at the time of writing batch 79 was sitting on the shelf at Norman Hotel. Ford says that not only is the spiced rum appealing to patrons, as it’s priced slightly cheaper than the house pour, but has become a source of pride for the team.

“The staff are encouraged to help make and prepare the ingredients, this gives them good buy in. Preparing the spices into the ball filter, and closely monitoring it over a few weeks in the ageing room is all part of the preparation, fun and enjoyment.”

Ford and his team have also started making their own tea infusions, that work perfectly in a cocktail. Again, the recipe is a closely guarded secret. But between the spiced rum and the tea, winter cocktails are sorted at Norman Hotel.

A powerful combination of complex dark spirits, spiced flavour profiles and a good point of difference, makes for an excellent winter cocktail formula for any hotel. Plus, an espresso martini won’t go astray.

COCKTAIL-MAKING EFFICIENCIES Rajesh Achall shares some of the efficiencies he has implemented at Hotel Bondi to ensure the time it takes to make a cocktail is kept to a minimum: • Have everything within easy reach, two steps away from your workstation at a push.

• Ensure that you are also aware of where everything is located on the bar. I know the Prosecco is second from the right in the fridge just behind me – I can grab that bottle using my left hand while on the till with my right.

• I always try to maximise efficiency when making cocktails. For example, if I’m making three different drinks at the same time and some have cross-over ingredients, I won’t pick up that bottle twice.

Obviously this means keeping track of what’s where, but once you have that down, speed and efficiency increase dramatically.

• Last, but by no means least, having another bartender working with you that’s in sync. The bartender isn’t only there to serve, but entertain and control the flow of the crowd. Having a partner makes this so much smoother.

For more information, please contact your Think Spirits Representative 02 4577 7800

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

MADE IN AUSTRALIA THERE ARE SO MANY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO CONSIDER WHEN OPERATING A HOTEL, IN EVERY FACET OF OPERATIONS – WITH SO MUCH AMAZING QUALITY OUT THERE, WHY NOT CHOOSE AUSTRALIAN MADE PRODUCTS WHERE YOU CAN?

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY PACKS

Company: Kids Dining Located: Perth, Western Australia Website: www.kidsdining.com.au Kids Dining proudly designs and prints children’s activity packs, food boxes and menus in Australia. Being the only children’s activity pack manufacturer in Australia, they offer the quickest turnaround time for branded and customised activity packs, as well as producing the highest quality packs on the market. “By printing locally we monitor each step of the process to ensure all of our products exceed the highest standards available. The benefit to our customers is that we can produce customised and branded children’s products almost immediately with very little lead time, which is how we have become a leader in the market in less than three years.”

Each Kids Dining activity pack is fully enclosed in a glossy wallet and contains a built-in mini board game, heaps of activities for all ages, as well as a packet of crayons. Kids are amazed with the bright glossy images and amount of activities, keeping them entertained for longer.

Hotels are amazed with the speed of delivery and low costs. All Kids Dining products are manufactured specifically for the harsh hospitality environment, printed on thick card approved for direct food contact and gloss coated to prevent colour-run.

SCH ONLINE

DRAUGHT BEER AND BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEMS

Company: Lancer Beverage Systems Located: Head office: Adelaide, South Australia Website: www.lancerbeverage.com Lancer prioritises safety when manufacturing all products. The basis for determining electrical safety is the compliance with AS/NZS3820 (Essential safety requirements for Australia and New Zealand). While compliance can be claimed by declaration, supporting documentation such as certification and test reports are expected to be available to support this. Lancer has the technical expertise to design safe and compliant products, and has approved independent laboratories for product testing, approval and certification services.

The increasing popularity of natural refrigerants can result in systems containing flammable or higher pressure gases. Due to this, appropriate electrical safety and quality manufacture is more important than ever.

Claimed product compliance means nothing in the event of incidents occurring due to design or manufacturing failure. Lancer has independent certification of its quality, safety and environmental management systems in place to manage the risk.

Company: Intrust Super Located: Head office: Brisbane, Queensland Website: www.intrustsuper.com.au SCH Online is the easiest way to pay your employees’ superannuation contributions.

No matter who your employees’ super is with, in just one login and one upload of information, SCH Online makes all your staff’s contributions in just one payment.

The service has intuitive user instructions to help you get started right away and allows you to import and export contribution files (in various formats) with your payroll system.

You will have the option to receive prompt and pay contribution reminder emails to ensure you cover your super obligations. SCH Online also has an easy re-hire function, which is particularly helpful when hiring more hands during the holiday seasons.

SCH Online will streamline your superannuation administration, whether you are a small business or an organisation that manages multiple properties. Best of all, SCH Online is now free of charge.

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

CUSTOMER LOYALTY APP

Company: Biz4Mobi Located: Gosford, New South Wales Website: www.biz4mobi.com Biz4mobi continues to expand in the hotel industry with its Customer Loyalty App. Customer loyalty is becoming a major factor in the hospitality sector, with hotels looking at ways to retain and grow their customer base and improve their bottom line.

At Biz4mobi the app system has been developed to include smart features. These are designed to engage your customers daily, through marketing collateral, prizes and offers that encourage repeated visitation to your venue.

These smart features come in the form of membership programs, interactive games, time-based coupons with GPS, scratchies, stamp loyalty cards, event reminders, enter-to-win competitions, push notifications and more.

Biz4mobi designs and builds a customised app for your business.

We work with you in the planning and implementation of marketing strategies from the outset and then on a continual basis to maximise your return on investment.

COMMERCIAL DIP AND SAUCE RANGE

Company: Chris’ Dips Located: Melbourne, Victoria Website: www.chrisdips.com.au/food-service Chris’ Dips launched new, easy-to-use squeezable dips and aiolis in a 1kg foodservice range. The new Saucier Chef range brings that final touch to a meal – whether it’s a dollop on the side, or drizzle on the top of any dish, the range takes the current traditional dips to an easy finishing off format.

The foodservice squeezable bottle range offers four of Chris’ most popular traditional dip flavours including hommus and avocado. The new selection of aiolis includes four enticing flavours including Wasabi Aioli and Gherkin and Mustard Aioli. All freshly prepared, the new range comes in 1kg easy-squeeze bottles for convenient application that enhances almost any meal. The range is both gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians.

POS, BACK-OF-HOUSE AND TABLE BOOKING SYSTEMS

Company: H&L Australia Located: Head Office: Kingswood, South Australia Website: www.hlaustralia.com.au With over 30 years’ experience in hospitality POS, H&L continue to be at the forefront of developing solutions to integrate existing and emerging technologies, software and systems.

H&L’s POS system with its enhanced integration capabilities is designed to create efficiency and ROI while increasing customer satisfaction.

H&L’s back office software “Sysnet” focuses on the management of two of the greatest costs to any food and beverage operation: labour and material. This enables venues to generate higher GOP (gross operating profit) as a result of better management of their materials and their staff.

The POS also integrates seamlessly with services such as payment solutions, ordering solutions, bookings and table management, labour, stock and cash management.

The latest innovation is the integration of H&L’s POS with other mobile apps such as order ahead, delivery, take away and loyalty, so the venue gets the benefit of these applications, without the need for separate hardware and software to operate them.

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FAMILY FRIENDLY

KIDS WELCOME PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ARE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO BOOST REVENUE

BY PROVIDING A FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.

P

arents are not usually in the mood to cook on public holidays so by offering distinct activities and services aimed at families you are more likely to attract business rather than surrounding venues, filling otherwise empty seats.

With many years of experience in hospitality management – both in pubs and resorts in Perth – Todd Krans of Kids’ Dining has learnt that there are three key points to successfully attracting families, and retaining their repeat business: First is the preparation: focus on a healthy and appealing children’s menu then get the message out to the local area. Parents are less fussy about their own meals but look for interesting meals for their children. This may include menu items such as stuffed baked potatoes or fresh tacos rather than simply fried food or pasta. Think outside the square when it comes to plating a kid’s meal – use a unique eye-catching kids food box instead.

The second item is not tangible, but is ensuring the staff are trained to understand children’s needs, just as they are trained to anticipate adults’ needs. It may sound like a no-brainer, but online reviews show only around 25 per cent of customers are happy with customer service at family-friendly venues.

This includes bringing the children’s meals out as soon as possible and treating children with respect. If you get this right you are likely to see an increase in repeat business.

Lastly are activities available while families are dining at your venue. A cheap and effective tool are children’s activity packs which keep the kids seated while entertaining them. At less than a dollar it is very easy to incorporate the cost into a “Kid’s Meal Deal” rather than trying to sell them for a profit. Other activities can include a children’s entertainer (such as face painting), or mini cooking classes on public holidays where kids make their own pizza.

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There are a few national public holidays towards the end of this month, Easter and Anzac Day. Easter celebrations that include kids are big at the Belrose Hotel in Sydney, as venue manager Glen Pocklingtoon explains.

“Easter is a special time at the Belrose Hotel, where our local community comes together. We are known for our quality family dining experience, and during the Easter holidays it is important for us to create a festive atmosphere that families can enjoy when joining us for a casual meal or larger family get together. We like to make dining out for young families hassle free and our large indoor playground and Easter-themed kids activities help parents relax over an enjoyable meal.”

Catering for kids can welcome a broader base of customers to your venue at any time of the year, but definitely can help boost your business on those public holidays based around family gatherings.

Play equipment can attract families to your venue

KEEP ’EM ENTERTAINED Here are some ideas for keeping kids busy at your venue so parents can enjoy their meal • Activity packs at the table • Play equipment • Face painting • Mini-cooking lessons • Jumping castle • Easter egg hunt • Petting zoo

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Rhinoplay play systems drive new growth for your businesses by identifying new play opportunities in the market and converting them into high-impact playgrounds that appeal to children and parents alike.

We ensure they are cost-effective, physically scalable and aligned with your business and brand.

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER APRIL 2017 | 23

Kurtis Bosley and Ben Varela

PERSONNEL

A dynamic duo BEN VARELA AND KURTIS BOSLEY HAVE WORKED TOGETHER AT DIFFERENT VENUES THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS. BUT AT PUBLIC HOUSE MANAGEMENT GROUP, THEY’VE BOTH FOUND THEIR NICHE.

Bosley at Bar Moncur

A

s group executive chef and group bars manager of Sydney’s Public House Management Group (PHMG), Ben Varela and Kurtis Bosley have come a long way from their days at the Blue Gum Hotel, where they first met in 2009. Their career paths have differed greatly, but their attitudes towards food and beverage in pubs has provided them with a kinship that’s seen them work in several venues together, before taking on group roles at PHMG. Varela started his career in the kitchens at Berowra Waters Inn as an apprentice, before moving around to a few other restaurants, learning different skills and working his way up as a cook. He did a stint at Blue Gum Hotel as sous chef, before working as a consultant for a food manufacturing company. After missing the kitchen, he returned to the Blue Gum Hotel as head chef, where he met Bosley. Eventually he moved to The Collaroy as head chef, to help PHMG launch the pub.

Bosley’s career path was far less clear cut. He began working as a bartender at the Blue Gum Hotel straight out of school, while he was studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. His interaction with Varela increased when he began helping out in the kitchen, “when pizzas were first taking off in pubs”. He eventually made his way back to the bar though, and followed Varela to the Greengate Hotel.

After he finished his degree he decided to pursue bartending, rather than architecture, and once more followed Varela to The Collaroy.

“When I graduated, I decided to pursue a different creative outlet for that train of thought, and I’ve found that in the cocktails and the beverage creation side of it in what we’re now doing.”

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The pair have always worked well together and respected each other, and Varela says it comes down to a shared philosophy in how they approach their work, whether in the kitchen or behind the bar.

“We just have always had that working relationship. I know what Kurtis can bring to the table so together we’ve always had that relationship where we talk about top-line stuff as well, not just about beverages or food and promotions and things – it’s the whole customer service, the experience, everything. That’s where we broke down the walls and why we work well together.”

Both quickly rose through the ranks of the newly formed Public House Management Group, moving to their group roles less than a year after starting at The Collaroy.

COLLABORATE AND LISTEN Their partnership has allowed them to simplify processes in their areas, particularly helping to cut down cocktail preparation time, and keeping the wait time at the bar to a minimum.

“That’s probably the biggest consideration with any of our venues,” says Bosley. “A lot of the collaboration works between me and Ben where I go to him with ideas, ingredients, and essentially ask him “How can I make this flavour?’ or “How can I do this, but simplify XYZ?” “That’s where we’ve worked really well together.

I’ll have a certain idea but not necessarily know how to get the idea off the ground because I’ve got all these flavours, but I don’t know how to put them together in a simpler format. So a lot of the drinks that we’re doing are prep-heavy, where it’s all back-of-house work where we can make these syrups that have two

PERSONNEL or three flavours in them. But then when we’re making the drinks, all the prep’s done, all the work’s done, so you’re only putting three or four elements together to make that final product and yet the flavour profile of the drinks we’re creating have so much more to them.”

This concept has been used to great effect at Bar Moncur in The Buena, where a range of ‘Moncur syrups’ have been created that ease the process of cocktail making in the pub – allowing for a list of more than a dozen cocktails, without the worry that the bar staff will get bogged down. Even garnishes are prepped back of house, like lemon verbena crisps to top martinis.

“We’ve got a lot of good chefs within our group now, so it’s easy to get a system together for all of the bartenders to get their elements prepped,” adds Varela.

STAR POWER In all but name, Varela and Bosley have become ambassadors for the group, largely in part due to their holistic approach to venues, rather than just focusing exclusively on the kitchen and bar. As such Varela’s role is evolving, focusing largely on innovations within the group’s portfolio.

“The group wants to keep expanding and growing so [I’m] looking at ‘What’s the concept going into that hotel?’ and ‘What’s the food and beverage offering that’s best going to work there?’”

He also gets to work on occasion with Guillaume Brahimi, noted chef and culinary ambassador for PHMG. Brahimi consults from time to time on menu direction, and hosts big event and charity lunches within the group’s venues – a role which Varela wholly appreciates. “It’s a good association for us.”

For Bosley, the public nature of his role started with his Instagram account, @cocktailsbykurtis. What started off as a visual diary for cocktail experimentation has quickly taken off with over 37,000 followers keeping an eye on the cocktails that Bosley creates.

Varela believes it has done great things for the group.

“It does work for the company – it goes hand in hand. It helps the company and it puts a face to it. Which has typically been the chef in pub groups, but then bars and cocktails are a growing category within pubs. I think it’s really good. Not all pubs need cocktails but in the ones we have, it’s growing.”

Bosley has also entered several cocktail competitions, generally the sole representative of pub bar staff –

something he hopes will change soon.

“There is this thought process out there that if you want to make a career out of cocktails you have to go to certain bars, but I really don’t believe that’s the case. There are other opportunities, people just aren’t looking for them.”

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT The duo is also very enthusiastic about reducing wastage within PHMG. They entered 42 Below’s cocktail competition together, presenting a drink that reduced wastage within the venue, rather than just at the bar. They entered a cocktail that took a lemon, and used every part of the lemon – using the rind for an oleo saccharum for the cocktail, the juice was used in the kitchen for a vinaigrette, and the remaining pulp was turned into a fruit leather for the cocktail garnish. They came second. This philosophy has since been introduced where possible throughout F&B operations in the venues.

“We’d be making a dessert, like a brûlée, then you can take the leftover vanilla beans from a pod and infuse them in a vodka and things like that.

It’s quite interesting when you start getting into the wastage side of things, how much wastage there is. We’ve got a long way to go but there’s definitely movement towards it.”

Bar Moncur at The Buena Reducing wastage is a focus for Varela

CULTURE CLUB As their roles expand, Varela and Bosley have made their own mark on the staff structure within the group. Six months ago a head bartenders program was launched, so that now each venue has their own senior bartender who will work with Bosley in creating the direction for the venue’s drinks list.

Likewise, Varela also ensures that the head chefs within each venue have some ownership over the menu direction.

“Nowadays I’m more coming up with the overall concept, and then the chefs in the venues include their style as well. It’s so important for them to own it in the venue. We’re moving away from the topdown style, as we’ve got skilled chefs in our pubs.”

It’s clear that group culture is a very big focus at PHMG, as the group continues to grow and bring on more staff.

“The biggest thing for us is that we want to build good customer service and a good culture within our teams. We always want to give back to our staff and let our staff take control of things,” says Varela.

In that regard, the duo lead by example.

Four In Hand Hotel

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER APRIL 2017 | 25

DESIGN & BUILD

A SLEEPING GIANT AS A NEW DEMOGRAPHIC MOVED INTO THE LOCAL AREA SURROUNDING TOWER HOTEL, GREG MAITLAND DECIDED A MAKEOVER WAS NEEDED TO ENTICE THEM TO THE VENUE.

G

reg Maitland has owned the Tower Hotel in Magill, Adelaide, for eight years. The pub had not had a renovation in almost two decades, but was neat and tidy. It mostly catered to an older, retiree crowd, with lunches being the busiest time of day.

But in the past year or two, a different demographic has begun to move into the suburb on the outskirts of Adelaide’s CBD. Families and established professionals have migrated to the area, knocking down old houses and rebuilding new ones – but they weren’t frequenting Tower Hotel, which was a little dated.

“The demographic had changed around the area so we wanted to go after a much broader customer base than what was the existing [base],” explains Maitland.

The transformation of the pub occurred at the end of 2016, taking just seven weeks to complete.

Roughly 1200sqm of floor space was upgraded – the pub remained open throughout.

THE NEW LOCAL For Maitland, it was important to update the look of the pub, while staying true to the traditional look of the venue.

“It’s a beautiful old building, so we needed to honour that and then we didn’t want to make it too

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sharp, too contemporary. We wanted to make it feel like a really nice local.”

To help him achieve his aim, Maitland brought on Kon Panagopoulos and Natalie Dixon, directors of KP Architects in Brisbane. The duo have worked on several large hotels in recent years, including Sandstone Point Hotel and Breakfast Creek Hotel in Queensland. Panagopoulos has worked on the redesign of venues for Maitland on many occasions over the last 20 years.

At the Tower Hotel, Panagopoulos said that it was important that the new finishes of the hotel appealed to the 25-40 year-old demographic that the pub was trying to capitalise on.

“The idea was to bring it into current design dialogues in terms of what people’s expectations are these days. So a modern pub in an urban environment, that met the local market. The finishes and the planning had to reflect that.”

As the bones of the hotel were in good nick, very little construction was required to create a renewed modern pub. In essence, three bars were amalgamated into two, and the beer garden was revamped and better utilised.

Panagopoulos is a big believer in the ‘less is more’ approach, and likes to use existing materials where

DESIGN & BUILD

The cinema can seat up to 40 kids

THE GARDEN BAR

REDEFINING COMPETITION Greg Maitland has worked in pubs for decades, and when considering how to attract a different demographic to Tower Hotel, he had to consider the competition around him. But unlike when he first started out, his concept of competition has had to be redefined.

“20 years ago, if you would discuss what your competition was, you would talk about other pubs in the area, whereas now, it’s every restaurant, burger joint, UberEats – it’s the works.”

possible: “It’s easy to spend $6 million, it’s more challenging to spend a lot less. Like a quarter of that.

So we do like to utilise as much of the existing fabric as possible.”

Wanting to update the look of the pub while keeping to its traditional aesthetic, simple materials helped to enhance the pub. The main public bar area has been turned into the Ale House, with 14 beers on tap. As such, the bar itself had to be a bit of a showpiece, so it was clad in copper. Elsewhere inside walls and ceilings were given a paint job, in simple and timeless black and white, respectively, and black and white mosaic floor tiles give a nod to the traditional aesthetic of the pub.

“Hopefully in ten years we won’t’ think ‘Oh my god, what were we thinking?’ which is always difficult to predict in hospitality,” states Panagopoulos.

“Sometimes restraint is good. If you do too much it becomes confused and can date a lot quicker as well.”

The original bar was also a bit of a strange hexagonal shape, which KP Architects were able to work with once they started to peel a few layers away.

They were able to take something odd and dark, and turn it into a quirky space with lots of different nooks and angular forms.

The biggest change to the venue was the beer garden, now called The Garden Bar. Due to the old design of the pub, the beer garden was quite separated from the bistro and the public bar, and was used very little by patrons. But with the removal of one block of toilets, and the tearing down of a few non-structural walls, the beer garden became the connection between all of the different spaces of the pub.

“We opened up a couple of areas and then all of

The Garden Bar

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER APRIL 2017 | 27

DESIGN & BUILD a sudden all of those spaces are talking to each other. It makes people’s movements through the different areas a lot easier now.”

Not only does the new beer garden have its own dedicated bar, but a pop of colour – which also adds to the more modern and youthful look of the pub – has been included with the addition of new booths along the outer wall of the area. The booths have red vaulted ceilings, making them a talking point of the beer garden, and creating semi-private spaces for small groups. They also make the hotel more visible from the busy Magill Road, where before the pub always looked closed and inactive. It’s now Maitland’s favourite space of the pub.

As part of the new Garden Bar, a glass-encased cinema for kids has been installed within the space, fitted out with red velvet curtains.

Popcorn and choc tops are available for the kids, and shows are played on a constant loop, with movies screened from time to time. This allows parents to enjoy their time at the pub, while the kids are entertained. The design of this area has kept in mind the different demographics of the pub’s patrons, as explained by Maitland.

“We tried to zone the design a little bit too. So outside of the cinema, there’s actually glass on either side so parents can see in and see what their kids are doing. And then there are four very long tables behind it directly that could probably fit 20 on each. So there’s an area where they can sit with other families and see the kids run around and it’s not necessarily annoying everyone else in the place.”

The Garden Bar has attracted a younger crowd The main bar aesthetic updates the tradtional pub look

PUTTING SERVICE FIRST While giving the pub a much needed refresh and making it appealing to a broader base of locals was the main goal, it was still important not to alienate Tower Hotel’s existing set of patrons.

“We didn’t do it [the refurbishment] on a level to piss them off, we took them into consideration. So I think that’s the main thing, I think

“IN MY VIEW THERE ARE SOME VENUES, PARTICULARLY SUBURBAN VENUES THAT HAVE JUST GONE TOO HIGH END AND THE PRICE POINTS ARE JUST NOT RELATIVE TO THE MARKET, AND WE WERE REALLY CONSCIOUS OF THAT.” GREG MAITLAND The main bar features a copper-clad top

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people just feel comfortable in it and don’t feel like someone’s done a renovation and then they’re getting ripped off.”

The pub’s menu was also important to the revamped Tower Hotel.

While the pub does all the classic dishes well, it now also includes a variety of superfood salads and the like, to appeal to the more health-conscious younger set. The Tower Hotel even had a nutritionist consult on the menu, to ensure that it was healthy and balanced.

Pricing was also important to Maitland, as he wanted to ensure that the Tower Hotel retained its position as a ‘local’, a place where patrons could come down for a meal and a drink on any day of the week, rather than viewing it as a place reserved for special occasions.

“In my view there are some venues, particularly suburban venues, that have just gone too high-end and the price points are just not relative to the market, and we were really conscious of that.”

While very little construction work was done, what was knocked down and then rebuilt was planned out to streamline operations – reducing the number of bars in the hotel from three to two. And rather than just sitting on the savings made from getting rid of a bar, Maitland has doubled down on service.

“We’ve cut down the service points, but reinvested into service. So the money we would have saved in efficiencies, we have actually reinvested into servicing the customer.”

Between a higher level of service, a reinvigorated beer garden, a fresher look and catering for families, this seven-week renovation has done wonders for Tower Hotel with many more people, of various ages, patronising the pub – something that Maitland is very happy about.

“I think we’ve turned a sleeping giant into something that’s come alive.”

With trade having just about tripled already, it’s safe to say that this giant is well and truly awake.

Savings have been reinvested into service

THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR PEACE OF MIND. We’ve worked hard to become Australia’s leading specialist Commercial Furniture provider.

We acknowledge our client ‘PARKROYAL’ for the use of their images showing another acquisition from Innova Group.

SPORTS FIXTURES CHECK OUT THESE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL – THEY’RE SURE TO BRING IN A CROWD TO YOUR VENUE!

SURFING

UFC

Two local stages of the World Surf League will be hitting our shores – literally – this month, starting with the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro in Western Australia, followed up by the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in the Surf Coast Shire of Victoria.

Drug Aware Margaret River Pro: From Monday 3 April, 9am. Fox Sports 3 and 5.

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: 12-24 April. Fox Sports More (HD Channel 264, SD Channel 507).

The long-awaited grudge rematch between heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and number one contender Anthony Johnson is finally set to take place at UFC 210. Cormier won their first fight at UFC 187, but since then Johnson has been on a hot streak, so it’s shaping up to be a good bout.

When: Sunday April 9, 12pm.

Channels: Main Event.

UNION

FOOTY

Union tragics are in for a treat this month, with the Hong Kong and Singapore rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series taking place this month. Then go from cheering on your country to picking state sides, when the Reds take on the Waratahs at the end of the month.

When: Hong Kong: 7-9 April. Singapore: 15-16 April, 11am. Reds v Waratahs: Saturday 29 April, 7:30pm.

Channels: Fox Sports 1 and 5.

NEXT MONTH

Australia’s footy codes have always scheduled big games in the afternoon and evening of Anzac Day, and this year is no exception. AFL is kicking off the action with Essendon and Collingwood going head to head, while NRL has a double-header of Roosters v Dragons, followed

by Storm v Warriors.

When: Tuesday 25 March. AFL: 3:20pm. Rugby League: From 4pm.

Channels: AFL: Seven and Fox Footy. Rugby League: Nine and Fox League.

Super middleweights Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will go to blows in the year-old T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas next month. Chavez Jr has not fought in the venue, while Alvarez won the debut match in the arena by knockout. Will it play out that way again for Alvarez?

When: Sunday 7 May, 12pm.

Channel: Main Event.

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