Australian Hotelier July 2018

Hotelier AUSTRALIAN

AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

vol. 35 no. 6 - JULY 2018

There is a new standard for interactive music-video in your venue.

moovmusic.com.au

Are you ready to Moov?

IN THIS ISSUE: ENTERTAINMENT | DRAUGHT BEER | BAR EQUIPMENT

If your venue is stuck with the same old nightlife, it’s time to Moov.

FULL PAGE ADVERT

There is a new standard for interactive music-video. Compare it to what you are using now and you’ll know, it’s time to Moov. The big benefits of switching to Moov include: Music Video

Marketing Power

Customer Engagement

Moov playlists are curated by award-winning DJ’s and VJ’s or you can give customers control in Juke Box mode!

Bring your promotions and events to life with push notifications, screen takeovers, video ads and rolling on-screen tickers.

Customers can add songs, influence the playlist, browse food or drinks menus and interact with the venue on a whole different level.

Get Mooving Download the Moov Music app via Apple and Google Play stores today.

1300 139 913

moovmusic.com.au

Y R A D N E G E L LAUNCH Thanks for your support in making the launch of Iron Jack a success.

Our Crisp Australian Lager has solD OVER

16 Million Litres

in ITS FIRST 8 months, making it the

biggest Australian beer launch in the last 10 years!

SOURCE: Pack IRI Sept 17-April 18, Tap Ex Brewery Data

CONTENTS | ED’S NOTE

Vanessa Cavasinni

Editor’s Note

I

ndustry data has shown for quite some time that millennials are drinking less on-premise due to an increasing concern with well-being. But a new report from Food and Wine Insights, ‘Quarterly Wine Trends June’, has found that this is not the only reason. Image is another main motivator for patrons aged 21-35 when it comes to capping alcohol intake.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said loss of control was a deterrent to unmetered drinking, while more than a third suggested being viewed as drunk could lead to shaming and ‘loss of personal brand or image’ on social media. Just another reason for publicans to include lower-alcohol beverages on their drinks lists.

Sticking behind the bar, in this first issue of FY18/19, we look at the latest options for publicans when it comes to stocking draught beer (p 18), plus the social causes that are driving environmental change in pubs across the country (p 24). We also take a look at the latest technology and equipment to augment your entertainment offering, as well as where the industry is headed with music licencing fees (p 14). Check it out now!

Cheers,

26 24

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

NEXT MONTH

AGE Preview • Property and Investment • Cider

Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419

Special Features

Regulars

ED’S 14 Screens, Sounds and PICK Entertainment: Gear and tech to take your entertainment offering to the next level.

18 Draught Beer: New tap opportunities for publicans to make the most of.

24 Bar Equipment: Why pubs around the country are banning plastic straws.

8 News: The latest happenings around the country.

26 Design and Build: The Redbrick Hotel is once more living up to its name.

30 Sports Calendar: We bring you LIVE! sporting highlights for July.

vcavasinni@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

18

Contents | Month

PUBLISHER: Paul Wootton EDITOR: Vanessa Cavasinni PUBLISHED BY:

14

GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY:

Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au

HEAD OF CIRCULATION:

Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au

PRODUCTION MANAGER:

Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

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DISCLAIMER

This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

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6 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Average Total Distribution: 5,497 AMAA/CAB Yearly Audit Period ending 31 March 2018.

A St John paramedic demonstrates the use of a defibrillator

NEWS

AHASA GM Ian Horne (left) with St John Ambulance SA CEO Michael Cornish at the Aldgate Pump Hotel

SA REGIONAL PUBS KEEP HEARTS PUMPING WITH DEFIBRILLATOR ROLL-OUT The Australian Hotels Association SA (AHASA) and Clubs SA, have joined forces with St John Ambulance SA to fund a state-wide roll-out of defibrillators in strategically chosen pubs in regional communities.

With recent research from Monash University showing that South Australians are the least likely to survive cardiac arrest as compared to residents of other states and New Zealand, the three associations decided to do something to help reverse that unfortunate finding.

More than 300 defibrillators have been rolled out, or are in the process of being rolled out, to pubs and clubs in regional areas, funded by these three organisations. These venues were chosen as not only are they figurative centres of their communities, but generally located within the geographic centres as well.

“The central position of pubs and clubs in country towns made them the obvious home for these life-saving devices,” stated Ian Horne, general manager of AHASA. “Particularly when you consider the role of these venues as a gathering place for residents and city visitors to our regions.”

Horne, who launched the project in May at the Aldgate Pump Hotel in the Adelaide Hills, said the AHASA was more than willing to fund the life-saving project.

“Investing $750,000 in equipment with a real potential to save lives is a significant way for our industry to support local communities at a grassroots level,” he says.

Each defibrillator is fitted to the façade of a pub or club, and is clearly labelled to provide easy and immediate access. They are also integrated with SA Ambulance Service’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Register, which means Triple Zero operators can immediately direct country callers to their nearest device in the event an ambulance is unable to arrive within the critical timeframe for cardiac arrests.

Michael Cornish, CEO of St John Ambulance Australia, explained that this saving of time could be the difference between life and death for residents of regional communities.

“For every minute defibrillation is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent. A delay of 10 minutes more often than not

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON 8 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

results in death. This means areas of critical need for these devices are those located more than five to ten minutes from their nearest hospital or ambulance station."

The Vine Inn in the Barossa has had a defibrillator installed within the pub for several years, with all senior staff trained in first aid and its usage, however they applied to have a defibrillator installed on the pub’s façade so that even more of the community had access to the life-saving equipment.

“While there may be a perception that we did not need the additional unit, the geographic location of the new unit – which is accessible to patrons and others at all hours – offers a community service which can be availed by any people in need,” explained CEO Chris Linden.

Monash University research showed that South Australians who suffered a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital had a only a 9.9 per cent chance of survival, as compared to 11.9 per cent for Victorians, and 13 per cent for people in New Zealand. A similar report from the Heart Foundation found that there was also a large disparity between heart disease mortality rates between Adelaide and regional areas.

Managing directors of the Commercial Hotel in Strathalbyn, Stacey Butler and Kelly Townsend, came face to face with an emergency situation in their pub about a year ago, when a patron had a stroke in their dining room. Fortunately ambulance services were in the area, but the sisters are extremely grateful to now have a defibrillator installed on site.

“If having this device at our hotel helps save even one life, then its job is done. It also provides some reassurance for our locals and visitors, that they can venture out in our town and we have great facilities that keep us safe at all times,” said Butler.

“In country pubs, the chance is that you will sit in the same pub having lunch with your local SES, CFS or Ambulance volunteer – now we have the missing piece of the puzzle. Our communities rely on these initiatives and support to help us keep up with metro facilities. We are so grateful to have been included and cannot thank AHASA and St John Ambulance SA enough.”

The defibrillators are easy to use, and do not require any training, as the machine will give clear voice instructions throughout its use.

CHECK OUT THESHOUT.COM.AU

PUBLICANS REACT TO EXCISE DUTY CHANGES

BY CHARLES WHITTING The pub industry has reacted to the announcement of the changes in excise duty from the government.

The alcohol excise refund scheme cap will increase from $30,000 a year to $100,000, from 1 July 2019 for all brewers and distillers, while the lower rates for draught beer sold in kegs will be extended to kegs as small as eight litres.

While pub operators have welcomed the measures, they have also been quick to point out that, contrary to some reports, the increase in the refund scheme will not necessarily translate to cheaper beers, with brewers instead spending the money saved on increasing the quality and consistency of their product.

“The way the media are saying it, people are expecting cheap beer,” says Joel Beresford, co-owner of Dutch Trading Company in Perth.

“But I don’t think it’s going that way. I hope it doesn’t lead to a false expectation. Breweries can use that money for an equipment upgrade, to improve the quality of what they’re doing rather than making cheaper products. They’ll have extra resources for events, social media, lifestyle, and the ability to incorporate their beer more into people’s lifestyles.”

However, the industry has welcomed the opportunities that changes to keg size could bring, allowing operators to stock less mainstream and popular beers without the pressure to sell 50 litres of it. As well as encouraging more variety on taps – not to mention that breweries might also be given added freedom to make more styles of beer – the smaller kegs are expected to ensure that beer lists become more interesting and offer fresher beer.

“It’s flexibility for the breweries – that’s what I’m excited about,” adds Beresford.

“They can do a tap takeover for the publican. Before, to do a six tap takeover – they’re not going to sell 300 litres. But they can now provide 30 litre kegs with no penalty, so that might be 120 litres, which is much easier for the publicans to get through. The breweries will be able to get more kegs of limited releases out – they can sell 15 or 18 kegs instead of nine. There’s more saturation in that regard.

Beresford continued: “Big beers like imperial stouts, you might worry about tap throughput. But you could order a 20 litre keg and be more confident in shifting it. It gives breweries more flexibility to do these wilder beers. The smaller the keg, the quicker they can turn it over, so people are coming back more often because there are more new beers on offer.”

The flexibility the changes are expected to bring to draught beer could also see different venues opening up their taps for more unusual beers. Sites that don’t trade on their draught beer sales may well be more inclined to bring an eight litre keg into their venue, thus widening the exposure of craft beer to more consumers.

“As a specialty beer venue that does decent keg volume, we will probably continue with a preference for 50 litre kegs, however I imagine less craft-focussed venues with short beer lines will be encouraged to try the smaller formats for stuff that doesn’t move as fast,” adds James Thorpe, co-owner of The Taphouse in Sydney.

“Keeps the beer fresher too if you’re not doing massive volumes.”

NEWS

REDCAPE CONTINUES NORTH QUEENSLAND BUYS

C!NC REFUTES COOGEE BAY HOTEL SALE RUMOURS In mid-June, News Corp ran a piece stating that the Coogee Bay Hotel and its adjoining accommodation hotel were up for sale. Owners C!NC have since denied those claims.

In the article run by News Corp, it suggested that the large-format eastern suburbs beachside hotel and its accommodation offering were being marketed for sale for a projected $250 million. The piece also suggested that Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes – who owns the nearby Coogee Pavilion – was interested in acquiring the property.

C!NC, which has owned and operated the hotel for almost three decades, has since released a statement calling the piece “inaccurate”, and clearing up the situation with the Coogee Bay Hotel.

“Last week, the media published a speculative and inaccurate story about the Coogee Bay Hotel being for sale.

“As a result of a number of unsolicited approaches by potential buyers, we decided in early 2018 to test the market in order to establish the potential value of the site and the hotel operations.

“An invitation-only process was conducted and completed in April 2018. The board of C!NC concluded at the completion of the process that business would continue as usual.”

The statement reaffirms the hotel group’s dedication to the hotel and its surrounding community.

“C!NC remains fully committed to the Coogee Bay Hotel, its staff and the local community, with exciting plans to develop our operations over the next few years.

“We are proud of the contribution we have made to the area, including our support for the Sydney Children’s Hospital, the Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club, and we intend to build on our 27 year ownership of the hotel.”

In a call to Australian Hotelier, C!NC managing director Chris Cheung laughed off the rumours, calling them “not true” and stated unequivocally that the hotel was not for sale.

Just last year, the group had invested heavily in a variety of new food and beverage offerings for the hotel, in a sign of its commitment to the venue.

10 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Redcape has purchased the Rising Sun Hotel in Townsville off Sydney hotelier Peter Ryan. The freehold acquisition was confirmed by Redcape CEO Dan Brady, who suggested that the group was not yet done looking for pubs to acquire, particularly on Australia’s eastern seaboard. ”The Rising Sun Hotel is a quality asset that complements our portfolio of strategically located, largely freehold owned hotels. This accretive acquisition follows our recent successful purchase of the Andergrove Tavern in Mackay and is in line with our disciplined approach to acquiring quality assets that generate shareholder value.”

Ryan, who had owned the Far North Queensland hotel for 30 years, sold the hotel to the national pub group through an off-market transaction facilitated by Andrew Jolliffe of Ray White Hotels. Reports suggest the sale price was in the vicinity of $20 million.

Freehold properties continue to be in demand, with Jolliffe stating that pub freeholds are currently attracting all sorts of investors.

“In the past week we have collaborated with industry veterans, listed vehicles and private investment houses to co-ordinate over $100 million worth of freehold hospitality transactions across the nation.

“The Rising Sun transaction in Townsville, on behalf of Peter Ryan, was an example of matching the chronological needs of a client with those of a very professional growth vehicle in the form of Redcape.”

As prices remain extremely competitive in New South Wales, Jolliffe suggested that Victoria and Queensland are the markets that investors are now beginning to focus on.

“Our Queensland office sold the Acacia Ridge Hotel in Brisbane recently for in excess of $26 million, and the sale of the Rising Sun in Townsville reflects a very active time in the region, with Delaware North, the Australia Venue Company and many other private investors also deeply engaged by the currency of opportunity.”

A recent market assessment from CBRE Hotels also suggested that north Queensland regions are becoming increasingly popular with publicans.

FOR PRIVATE SALE Freehold land & Building –

Iconic hotel in the heart of Australia’s only heritage listed city Key asset in prospering regional hub Profitable operation with expansion opportunities High Turnover, excellent plant & equipment Holds Australia’s only all year Two Up Licence Central location of filming “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” 45 Accommodation Rooms 3 Bars Restaurant & Function rooms Home of the “Broken Heel Festival” – Australia’s newest bucket list event

Contact Esther 0408 691 408 or Selina 0408 851 019 esther@thepalacehotelbrokenhill.com.au / selina@globehardware.com.au

NEWS

CONTRIBUTOR’S

PANEL NEW HOSPITALITY LAW FIRM LAUNCHED BY AHA The Australian Hotels Association NSW recently launched the hospitality industry’s very own law firm – Hospitality Legal Pty Limited.

The concept behind Hospitality Legal is a simple one. It has been developed by the industry, for the industry – specifically to provide legal services to hospitality employers to assist them in the day-to-day operation of their venues.

The name Hospitality Legal speaks for itself.

It says who we are and what we do, and as our members already know, we do it well.

The implementation of an industry legal practice was something that the AHA NSW has been considering over recent years.

While the new law firm will complement the services already provided to AHA NSW members as part of their membership package, any employer involved in the hospitality industry can engage the services of Hospitality Legal.

We see this next step, the implementation

12 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

of the hospitality industry’s own law firm, as a key plank in the AHA’s overall strategy to maintain its place as the leading industry association for the hospitality industry.

At the outset Hospitality Legal will focus on industrial relations and employment related matters including: •U nfair dismissal and general protections claims in the Fair Work Commission, Federal Circuit Court or Federal Court; • Underpayment payments; •F air Work Ombudsman investigations/ prosecutions; •E nterprise Agreements – negotiation, termination and associated applications; and •E mployee general discrimination claims.

We can also respond to, and represent, venue operators in relation to customer- or patroninitiated discrimination claims arising in the provision of goods or services.

These are areas in which we are rightly

regarded by the hospitality industry and regulatory bodies alike as a leader.

As an industry law firm, we will be focused on achieving practical and strategic outcomes for hospitality employers and the hospitality industry.

We intend to broaden our practice areas to include regulatory/licensing matters and general commercial matters affecting hospitality venues.

While we are based in Sydney, we are available to assist hospitality employers wherever they are located in Australia.

Hospitality employers can contact Hospitality Legal by email at contact@ hospitalitylegal.com.au, or visit our website at www.hospitalitylegal.com.au.

Phillip Ryan Director of Legal and Industrial Affairs – AHA National/NSW Director – Hospitality Legal Pty Ltd

ENTERTAINMENT

THE WHOLE SHEBANG

TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT, PUBS NEED TO INVEST IN A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. WE LOOK AT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS ONE NEW LICENSING POLICY THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON IN-VENUE MUSIC.

P

ubs are many things to many people, but they can be so much more than just a place for a pint and a feed. Great pubs also provide various forms of entertainment for their patrons, from the latest in live sports viewing, to live music, to some form of nightclub/dancing component.

These sorts of offerings can define how a pub is categorised – from a sports pub, to a party pub and everything in between. Regardless of the offering though, it’s important to get the equipment for the offering right – as low quality and the wrong technology will have patrons heading elsewhere. Technology is constantly being updated, so let’s take a look at some of the latest equipment to consider investing in.

INDOOR LED SCREENS Nothing draws a crowd like sport on a big screen, but you need a screen big enough to comfortably accommodate the crowd. In a sizeable venue what you need is a screen that is metres across, not inches.

Technology has finally arrived that can readily do this, without imposing the compromises found with previous technologies like projection or composite LCD video walls. LED display is coming indoors in a big way. LED technology

14 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

is no longer restricted to huge billboards. New forms of LED display can now be located at close range. Some of these newly released screens are also pixel perfect for Foxtel HD. The impact LED will have on sports bars is immense. Really large crowds will successfully be able to watch events together, bringing a greater level of excitement and patronage.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that LED is a technology where it is really easy to make a terrible mistake. One common error is in not getting the quality level right. LED componentry varies in price greatly. Another potential error is in not getting the specification right and that can see you paying way too much or simply choosing the wrong screen for your purpose.

LED display technology is best purchased from a supplier with the necessary technical capability to determine the right screen. It is also regenerative technology, so it needs to be purchased from a supplier that can properly support it over its lifetime. Unlike a TV that you replace in entirety, you upkeep LED display by replacing tiny portions. It needs to be maintained.

Ci has been responsible for some of Australia’s most acclaimed LED projects like Yagan Square in Perth, the Adelaide

Festival Centre, Emporium Melbourne, QUT’s interactive LED wall and the MCG and Etihad perimeter/parapet LED – so it knows the importance of tailoring screens for a business.

“Being the best in LED entails matching the right product with the project. We have access to all the best brands and manufacturers globally and can help customers select the option most appropriate to their needs. We can also install and support to the standard required,” Ci’s national account director Ben Britten explains.

Getting the most from a big screen in a hotel scenario also involves audio, so you need a supplier adept at both. It should also be noted that LED can successfully be installed outside in beer gardens and unlike LCD and projection be comfortably viewed in direct sunlight.

Whether outdoor or indoor, one thing is certain. LED display is about to change pub entertainment. So it’s worth assessing the business case for such a screen at your venue sooner rather than later.

DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT An in-house background music system is essential to create the right mood for any type of pub, and nowadays these systems include a visual component – playing coordinated music videos or content to match.

ENTERTAINMENT

“It’s important to ensure that hotels are encouraged to play music and support Australian music, and it not be so expensive that people don’t put live music on.”

Stephen Ferguson, AHA CEO.

The MooV app interface for pub management

MooV Music has been providing background music systems for almost twenty years, but recently invested heavily in the next generation of software for a new product – MooV – that enhances the user engagement experience, and gives publicans the chance to push promotions to patrons to entice them back into the venue.

Created specifically for on-premise operators, MooV encompasses a digital component where operators can pick the playlist, send marketing messages in-house on screens and push promos out to patrons through its app and website CMS. The system takes advantage of new technological opportunities to create several benefits for operators when creating the right mood for their venue.

High-quality music/video output: Choose a playlist that most reflects the vibe of your pub – think current pop hits, R&B number ones, golden oldies and more – that has been curated by award-winning radio programmers and DJs. These playlists are also updated constantly and digitally, without the operator having to do anything.

Pub managers still have complete control of the playlist though, so you can pick and choose tracks as you please.

Customer engagement: Allow patrons to feel like they are truly a part of your venue by having a say in the music that is playing. Using the MooV app, customers can view all of the tracks on your playlist,

and influence what plays next by voting for songs. The more votes a song gets the faster it will be played – all the while engaging your crowd, keeping them around and capturing data. And don’t worry, management can take back full control of the playlist at any stage.

Marketing power: Promote your activations through more direct avenues, with in-venue, on-screen advertising including screen takeovers, video ads and rolling on-screen tickers. You can also reach your patronage off the premises, by sending push notifications of activations through the MooV app. Initially publicans can set a radius around their venue to target patrons using the app, with the second release scheduled to allow you to reach all MooV users that have ever visited your pub. All promos are easily uploaded through the website CMS.

MUSIC LICENCING WOES There is one further development concerning entertainment that is on the minds of hoteliers across the country, this time surrounding music licence fees. In an effort to streamline the complex maze of fees being paid to both APRA AMCOS and PPCA, the two organisations are in the middle of merging into one organisation, OneMusic.

As part of this process, the music licencing fee structures for hotels for everything from background to live music to music played in dining areas, is in the middle of being

The impact of an LED screen

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER JULY 2018 | 15

ENTERTAINMENT

Operators can take control of music and promotions through the MooV app

reviewed and overhauled. Hoteliers and the AHA are taking part in consultation on the new fee structure across Australia, with AHA CEO Stephen Ferguson stating that the prerogative is to create a simpler fee structure that is fair for both hotels and artists.

“Our main concern is that hotels don’t pay more than they’re required to. It’s important to ensure that hotels are encouraged to play music and support Australian music, and it not be so expensive that people don’t put live music on,” stated Ferguson.

“After seeing venues such as The Basement [in Sydney] close, we don’t want venues discouraged, especially from playing live music.”

While the industry and organisation consult and compromise on the proposed fee structure, the greatest concern raised by both the AHA and hotel operators in the first round of consultancy was the proposed change to charge live and featured music fees based on capacity of the venue, rather than attendance. This immediately raised red flags across the industry, as very few gigs are filled to total capacity of the venue or of the venue’s live music area.

“Our concern on that is it simply doesn’t take into account the volume of people through. So the hotelier’s profitability is driven by the number of people through the venue, and just because you’ve got a venue licence to hold 100 people, doesn’t mean you’ve got 100 people there, so you shouldn’t have to pay 100 times the fee, to do that. So that’s an issue. I think that’s the greatest problem we have.”

The worry is that if the charge on capacity were to go through, venues would minimise

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the number of live music acts they put on throughout the week. While headline acts on Friday and Saturday night may continue, smaller gigs during the week may be culled to avoid a fee that doesn’t match the event’s profitability.

Matt Mullins, director of the Melbourne pub group Sand Hill Road, said the company was following this issue very closely, and is worried about how it will impact business, but also the country’s live music scene.

“We are very worried about the risk of unsustainable licencing fees and the impact they could have on the viability of our pubs. More than that, we’re worried about the impact they could have on our music programs.

“A lot of pubs like ours run live music and DJ programs because we believe in supporting live performance, not because live performance makes us money – sad to say, in our industry, live performance rarely pays for itself. An increase in licence fees, albeit inadvertent, could put an end to a lot of live music in the first instance, and a lot of live music venues in the second.”

A spokesperson for APRA AMCOS said that OneMusic representatives have heard this concern from the industry, and is hoping to amend the fee structure in the second proposal it puts to the industry, but suggested that capacity structure is based on ease and fairness.

“The reason we suggest pegging fees to a capacity figure is for simplicity – it saves licensees keeping track of nightly attendance and gives us an indicator of the scale of an operation so larger and smaller hotels are treated equitably.”

The other major hurdle is with so many pub businesses differing in scale, entertainment

options and business models, there is a concern that any fee structure will not be equitable to all pub businesses, and that many hotel operators will actually see their fees increase under the new OneMusic proposal – an added cost that will not be sustainable for a lot of operators.

“Australia has one of the most expensive licence regimes on earth. A similar scheme in New Zealand for instance, sets fees at a fraction of Australia’s. We’ve spent our entire professional career supporting live performers.

We think a licencing regime is a key way to continue that support. We just hope that regime doesn’t end up costing live performers gigs,” stated Mullins.

With the growth of the live music sector being a key motivator for OneMusic, the APRA AMCOS spokesperson reiterated that it is willing to work with industry to find a satisfactory outcome.

“We’ve done what we can to minimise any huge variations for hotel operators and we have amended the fee structure in the second consultation paper. This is why feedback to us is so important.”

Ferguson said that while OneMusic Australia may want to get the new structure rolled out by the end of the year, the AHA would continue to push for a proposal that would not only benefit artists but also be just and sustainable for the pub industry.

“The day it’s fair and equitable, that’s the day we’ll close the deal.”

The second proposal should now be released to the industry, and there is a six-week opportunity for further consultation.

Make your venue more appealing with a giant LED display

It’s simple really. The bigger and better your display screen, the more patrons you will attract.

Also simple is your best choice of supplier. Ci are Australia’s leading LED resource, responsible for the perimeter and parapet signage at the MCG and Etihad, the giant LED screen at Yagan Square Perth, the new LED at the Adelaide Festival Centre and the best examples of LED in shopping centres and corporate lobbies throughout Australia. LED display is an easy technology to get horribly wrong.

Ci will ensure you get it right.

Whether indoors or out in the beer garden, a giant LED screen + audio can earn its keep.

Why not examine the business case for your venue? Simply ask CI for an obligation free assessment.

Crowd Pulling Brilliant Picture Quality Fully Supported Australia Wide

1300 242 742 www.thecigroup.com.au

DRAUGHT BEER

BREWED FOR YOUR VENUE BROTHER AND SISTER DUO DAVID AND JANET HOLLYOAK SAT DOWN TO CHAT ABOUT THEIR AWARD-WINNING BREWERY AND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING WITH PUB PARTNERS – PLUS WE LOOK AT THE HOTTEST AREA FOR NEW BEER OFFERINGS.

18 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

DRAUGHT BEER WHAT ARE THE CORE BEERS THAT YOU BREW? Our core draught wholesale beers are the Aussie Lager and Aussie Ale - two classic Australian beer styles. These thirst quenching beers are really well suited to our hot dry climate and are also very versatile with food and beer matches for pub menus.

These beers are big on classic taste for drinker satisfaction while the keg price delivers a profit margin to the publican like no other.

They are our most popular beers as well as they have broad appeal and are appreciated by a large percentage of beer drinkers. The quality and flavour of these two beers generally blows people away.

The stronger, more complex and richer beers are enjoyed later in a session at the pub but adds to the progression of beers which enhances a customer/patron’s experience for a venue.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE AWARDS YOU'VE WON? Ever since we opened the brewery, we have entered into beer competitions with the sole purpose of benchmarking the quality of our beers. Over the years we have won many national and international awards. There is a lot of bling in our cupboards, as Janet likes to say. These include: Royal Sydney Beer Show: Champion Draught Beer 2017 (Aussie Lager), Champion Draught Beer 2016 (Chateau Sour), Champion Draught Beer 2011 (Oktoberfest Lager), Champion Bottled Beer 2010 (India Pale Ale). RAS NSW has chosen to serve the Aussie Lager on tap at the Sydney Royal Easter show for two years running.

World Beer Cup, USA: Five Gold trophies for

Honey Ale, Bitter, Framboise Froment, Smoked Rauch Bier, etc.

European Beer Star, Germany: Four Gold trophies for Winter in the Rye and Schwarzbier respectively.

World Beer Awards: Supreme champion and World’s Best Beer in over 12 different styles.

Sydney Royal Show: Four Champion awards for Aussie Lager, IPA, and Chateau Sour.

International Beer Challenge, UK: Supreme Champion 2014 & 2013. Gold trophies for several of our beers.

WHAT DO YOU VIEW AS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD YOU’VE WON? The most prestigious awards are those trophies we have won for a beer style in the country in which that particular beer style originated. It shows that the beer has been brewed ‘true to style’ and is of excellent quality to win against a very competitive field of beers.

MANY BEER DRINKERS CLAIM THAT BEER TASTES BEST ON TAP. DO YOU AGREE? Our draught beer is basically kegged off to order so it is miles fresher than other mainstream draught beers and especially when compared to bottled beers. However, bottled product can be great if you want to age a beer.

It also suits particular beer styles and of course opens up possibilities for bottle conditioning.

But nothing beats a freshly kegged beer.

ARE YOU SEEING ANY NEW CRAFT BEER CONSUMPTION TRENDS EMERGING AT ALL? Australian beer drinkers are enjoying and supporting real craft brewers, and small independent family owned breweries more and more. You just have to look at the explosion of small and regional breweries around the country to see the appetite for different beers. Beer drinkers want to know the story and people behind the beers they are drinking and conscientiously choose beers they know are more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

HOW ARE YOUR BEER SALES TO PUBS GOING? Business is great and we are continually growing and expanding! It can sometimes feel like it’s a big decision for a publican or venue to change its beer selection. But once they have made the decision, it’s really great seeing the customers reinforce the decision by increased sales and improved profitability in particular.

We currently supply draught beer to the Sydney market and are working on increasing our reach and distribution to other capital cities over the next year.

David Hollyoak

WHY ARE YOUR DRAUGHT BEERS POPULAR WITH PUBS? The two Australian beer styles are the most popular with publicans as they are world class premium craft beers at a competitive price. In essence, they are very approachable beer styles but with much better profitability. Even though we don’t operate on quite the same scale as the big two multinational breweries, we can achieve significant economies of scale by being efficient and effective in our processes. It must be noted though, that we don’t expect the same high profit margins on our business that others expect, and so we effectively give back the majority of the profit margin to the publicans through lower costs.

WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DO YOU RECEIVE FROM YOUR PUB PARTNERS? The beers speak for themselves. The positive feedback from customers reinforces for them that putting the beers on tap is good for customers, good for sales and good for profits, which is good for business. With our draught kegs supplied at $120 + GST + delivery for a 50-litre keg, venue partners are appreciating the significantly increased profit margin while at the same time offering a premium Australian craft beer on tap.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BEER THAT YOU HAVE ON TAP? I’m often asked this question and my unbiased answer is always the same ‘the Redoak beer that is in my hand.’

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER JULY 2018 | 19

The team behind Felon Brewing Co

DRAUGHT BEER

BREWING UP A STORM The Brisbane craft beer scene has been growing over the last two or three years, really cementing itself as a beer hub to rival the likes of the Western Australian coast and inner-west Sydney.

In the last month, two new breweries have been announced that are set to bring even more beer options to pub operators across the country.

A BREWING HUB A new major brewing site has been announced for Queensland, the Brisbane Brew Partners, which will allow many smaller brewers to brew their beers there.

The council application for Brisbane Brew Partners was lodged in late May, to be built on a greenfield site in Morningside. Projected to open at the end of the year, Brisbane Brew Partners is a different concept to your standard brewery.

The $15 million structure will be an incubator brewery for contract and gypsy brewers, new brewers and existing brewers that are looking to increase their production capacity. Hospitality venues looking to create their own branded brews can also use the services of the brewery to produce their own beers at smaller quantities.

Brisbane Brew Partners is the brainchild of owner Shaun Lockwood, who sees the hub as a place to support smaller craft beer brewers.

“The unique thing about Brisbane Brew Hub is that our brewers will be partners with us, we want to incubate them. A lot of contract brewers choose to brew at other people’s breweries because they can’t afford to build their own brewery. Once they grow they usually out-grow the brewery they started brewing with. We can guarantee them the capacity and give them the confidence to focus on selling beer.”

The brewery will include a 20BBL Brewhouse; 40BBL fermenters and 40BBL brite

20 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

The concept for Brisbane Brew Partners

tanks for single and double batches; packaging capability for kegs, bottles and cans; a full laboratory for quality control; and significant cool room storage.

Lockwood suggests Brisbane Brew Partners can also be used by interstate craft brewers who want to serve the Queensland market without having to worry about transport costs and the deterioration of quality.

“The other service we will offer will be to existing interstate brewers to brew their recipes in Queensland for the Queensland market.

Freight costs a lot to move beer cold and keep it fresh, if interstate breweries want to supply Queensland customers without shipping their beer around the country they can brew 40 kegs with us and get the freshest beer possible into the Queensland market.”

WHARVES REACTIVATED BY FELONS BREWING CO Also set to open in Brisbane at the end of the years is Felons Brewing Co., a brewpub that will also have the capacity to brew its beers for other venues across the country.

Felons Brewing Co. will be part of the Howard Smith Wharves hospitality precinct, located under the Story Bridge on the banks of the Brisbane River. The new brewery – which has installed a whopping seventeen 2x3m tanks – will be guided by general manager Ash Cranston and head brewer Tom Champion, who have both worked at a variety of respected breweries, including Little Creatures, Furphy and White Rabbit.

While the brewery will eventually distribute its beer across the country, initially it will focus on the Brisbane and greater Queensland market, creating fresh beer from locallysourced ingredients.

“We want to be a part of the Brisbane and greater Queensland brewing community and support its continued growth,” stated Champion.

“We’re focusing on brewing natural and balanced beers of no fuss, and we won’t compromise when it comes to quality and consistency. I’m really conscious of keeping our environmental footprint as low as possible— during my many years in brewing I’ve learnt the little things count as much as the big initiatives.

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DRAUGHT BEER

TOP PICKS FOR YOUR TAPS AUSTRALIA IS SPOILT FOR CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO GREAT DRAUGHT BEER, SO WE PICKED OUT A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITES IN A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES.

BEERLAND WHEAT BEER

IRON JACK FULL STRENGTH LAGER

Under Master Brewer Ken Arrowsmith, Beerland Brewing has beat 2,178 entries for its Wheat Beer to be crowned Champion Australian Beer at the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards.

Iron Jack Full Strength Lager is set to build off the success of its midstrength stablemate, which sold over 16 ML in its first eight months, making it the biggest Australian beer launch of the last 10 years.

This 5 per cent ABV crystal clear wheat beer draws from the traditional European style with aromatic hints of banana and subtle clove. The low bitterness complements its soft mouth feel making this blonde brew both refreshing and approachable. Suited to refined palates or entry level beer drinkers, this beer would fill the gap in any range.

Iron Jack Full Strength Lager is a contemporary Australian Lager brewed with our hot, rugged climate in mind. Pale malts are balanced with the aroma from a light dose of Saaz hops for a super crisp finish and maximum thirst-crushing refreshment. Iron Jack is also preservative free and has 30 per cent less carbs than regular full-strength beers. 4.2% ABV. 9 IBU.

NAIL BREWING MVP

TWO HEADS PIPER XPA

Developed at Edith Cowan University over three years, this low-alcohol beer was the most popular recipe from more than 30 test batches. Nail MVP was added to the Nail core range six months ago and won the Best Reduced Alcohol trophy at the world’s second biggest beer awards, the AIBA.

The Two Heads Brewery is located on Piper Street in Bathurst, New South Wales, and is the inspiration for this deliciously hoppy beer.

Sitting somewhere between a pale ale and an IPA, it is a collaboration between the Two Heads brewer, and local home-brewer Nick. This is craft beer in the truest sense. Small-batch, hand-crafted brewing with the utmost attention to detail.

Passionfruit and mango shine through while tangerine plays a supporting role to balance the tropical flavours. Nail’s MVP comes with a firm bitterness that exceeds most in its category meaning, it’s exactly what is missing from the reduced alcohol beer market.

This is the type of beer that adds interest and choice to any outlet; beer that has helped drive the market growth of premium, craft beers.

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER JULY 2018 | 23

BAR EQUIPMENT

The last straw MORE VENUES ARE TURNING AWAY FROM PLASTIC STRAWS AS THEY CONSIDER THE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THESE SMALL UTENSILS.

24 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

BAR EQUIPMENT

T

here are plenty of practical issues that operators have to face on a daily basis in the running of their businesses, but sometimes decisions are made not to effect your bottom line, but to have some sort of social impact.

The affects human activity is having on the environment is one such issue that operators are mindful of currently. Globally, the amount of plastic filling the earth’s oceans is becoming increasingly an issue to its ecosystems, and one contributor to the problem is plastic straws.

Two scientists have recently estimated that there are roughly 8.3 billion straws washed up on shorelines around the world.

A statistic like that can be overwhelming and make many question what impact they can have, but many operators have decided to make their own local impact on what is a global problem. Namely, venues are starting to remove single-use plastic straws from their venues in a bid to lessen their waste footprint in a significant way. Many pubs are getting in on this policy, as the amount of waste these seemingly innocuous little products produce is made clearer by the day.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE PUB’S BACK The movement to rid venues of plastic straws has been gaining steam in the last 12-18 months, as more operators become aware of their environmental impact through the cultural zeitgeist. In the process of talking to publicans about this issue, several operators mentioned the now infamous video circling the internet of a straw being pulled out of the nose of a turtle.

The video makes a simple, emotional plea that was the catalyst for many operators removing straws from their venues.

And the strategy implemented is a simple one – simply stop giving them out and (most) people will stop asking for them. Colonial Leisure Group, has removed plastic straws from all of its venues across the country, and has found that the majority of patrons are right behind the move.

“For the most part people are understanding and are willing to afford the small inconvenience for the benefit of the environment! It’s such a small change that it becomes a non-issue pretty quickly, but it does have a really long-lasting impact on marine health and pollution,” stated spokesperson Jenna Godley.

Some pubs, like The Left Bank in Fremantle, Western Australia, offer biodegradable straws to customers who still request something sip their drink from.

“There are a few occasions where customers still demand a straw and don’t seem to care about their action/the effect on the environment. However, at least we’re trying to inspire a positive change and offer biodegradable straws if customers insist,” states Julia Maloney.

Offering bio-degradable alternatives has been taken a step further at Freddie Wimpoles in Melbourne, where the team also offers biodegradable sauce containers and packaging for takeaway meals ordered through UberEats and Deliveroo.

A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE At the Friendly Inn Hotel in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales, general manager Sam Rodden has also stopped handing out plastic straws with drinks, but has decided to get the entire community involved. After phasing out plastic straws over a three-month period, the hotel had an information night with local business owners and community groups, looking at other ways to reduce plastic waste.

While many were sceptical at the start, it didn’t take long for locals and visitors to get on board with the initiative, with other businesses following suit, as well as neighbouring towns.

Rodden says that besides the environmental advantages, there has been many other benefits, including accommodation providers recommending the pub to guests, as well as general good will.

“It has been a great way of engaging with people in the community that would not traditionally visit the hotel.”

Trevor Leach, general manager of the Shamrock Hotel in Echuca, Victoria, agrees that it’s a positive decision on all fronts, and that patrons respond well to businesses that get involved in such communally beneficial initiatives.

“We didn’t want to be one of those places who talk about the dangers and adverse effects of what certain products do to the environment, we actually wanted to take action and actively take steps to reduce our environmental impact. People like to see businesses taking action, and word of mouth is the best advertising a business can get.”

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AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER JULY 2018 | 25 barm8 1/3Vertical AD.indd 1

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DESIGN & BUILD

LIVING UP TO ITS NAME

IN THE FAMILY FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, ALBERT HAKFOORT DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO UNCOVER THE RAW APPEAL OF THE REDBRICK HOTEL AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATION.

B

uilt 128 years ago, the Redbrick Hotel has been transformed in the middle of Brisbane many times over the years. The last time the Woolloongabba pub had a major revamp was almost twenty years ago, but recently the area has undergone some drastic changes. Not only has there been a significant amount of residential and commercial development in the West End area, but several quality hospitality establishments have also been established in the locale in the last few years. It was time for the Redbrick Hotel to reflect the direction that the rest of the neighbourhood was heading in.

“We were falling behind and we had a very old and tired hotel, that was no longer really relevant and we could see that. Our customers weren’t changing, and as they grew older and moved out, we just weren’t attracting new ones. So it was time to recapitalise back in there and open ourselves up to another market,” explains Albert Hakfoort, CEO of the Hakfoort Group.

Rather than focusing on a particular demographic, Hakfoort acknowledged that certain restrictions of the hotel meant that they had to be very strategic in the patronage the hotel targeted. With a small footprint and no parking available, the CEO was aware that the hotel would never be a destination pub. Instead, it was important to position the hotel as a pub for locals.

“With the refurbishment we engaged in, you would easily look at it from the outside and say ‘That is targeted towards a millennial crowd.’ It’s got all the brickwork – it’s kind of that trendy, rough old/new look. The problem with that market is that they are a very small percentage of the population, and we found that we have to be relevant to our local population, outside of attracting a market that may or may not be with us for a long time. Whilst the building may look trendy, our food, our beverage and our service offer is absolutely focused one hundred per cent on a local market that is in our catchment.”

The gaming room

PEELING BACK THE LAYERS Rather than doing up the hotel to create something new, Hakfoort wanted to remove all the layers that had built up over the pub’s history through its various owners, and reveal as much of the original hotel as possible. This was a renovation based on removal, rather than addition.

One of the major directives the CEO gave construction partner Paynters was to remove all of the white paint and render from the façade and interior walls of the hotel.

Through meticulous pressure sandblasting, the pub was returned to its red brick façade and walls, and back to its name.

Without really knowing what exactly this paring back of the building would expose, Hakfoort was eager to be able to highlight its original design.

“The word raw comes to mind because as they were peeling layers back we’d reach something new and unexpected, I’d be asked ‘Should we keep it?’. And I would say

26 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Imagery courtesy of Paynters

DESIGN & BUILD

The hotel's original facade was uncovered through pressure sandblasting

The new central bar

‘Yep, the uglier the better almost – warts and all.’ We really stripped it back to what it was. It’s a naked hotel from when it was originally constructed to what it is now.”

During the removals there were two main unexpected finds – a trapdoor and some original terrazzo tiling. The trapdoor down to the cellar was found under some old carpet and lino, in the middle of a passageway. It has since been reactivated. In the new dining area, some original terrazzo tiles – in a pink, beige, blue and black pattern – were also found. While the team from Paynters thought from a design perspective that the discontinued pattern needed to go, Hakfoort was adamant that it would remain.

“I thought put your heritage hat on and your real attachment to the local area – that was the floor that was originally here! What’s wrong with it? It’s durable, it’s tough and it’s held up,” states the CEO. The Paynters team have since seen the light, and are glad that the tiles remained as a feature in the dining area.

Not only was the build-up of detritus removed – so were underperforming areas of the pub so as to maximise the worth of the venue’s small footprint.

Before the renovation, the pub had two bar areas – the main public bar and one in the TAB area – plus a drive-through bottleshop. However the TAB bar and the bottleshop had been underperforming for some time – the former due to the younger TAB users moving to digital betting, and the latter due to the bottleshop being located on the wrong side of the road for traffic.

With these three main areas trading from 10am, the small pub required a minimum of four full-time staff in the venue every morning for trade. In the new renovation, the TAB bar and the bottleshop were closed and the main public bar was made larger so that it could service all areas of the hotel with less of a wage outlay.

“It was much better for the overall feel of the place. The two removals of key components made this addition of the bigger bar more effective.”

THE OL’ SWITCHEROO

The dining area has been relocated to the heritage part of the hotel

The other main objective of the renovation was to switch the locations of the gaming room and dining area. The previous owners of the hotel, before the Hakfoorts, had removed the beer garden at the back of the hotel to add a new indoor dining structure, that included the main dining area on a mezzanine level. They had also placed the gaming room at the

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER JULY 2018 | 27

DESIGN & BUILD front of the hotel, hiding the heritage value of the hotel.

“Everything was in the wrong location in order to optimise the offering. We decided it was best to put the gaming in the newer, non-heritage part of the hotel, and put the dining in the heritage part of the hotel,” states Paul Coory, head of hospitality, entertainment and leisure at Paynters.

As gaming areas cannot be viewed from the street, all of the windows of the old gaming room were blacked out, and all of the ornate, heritage detailing was covered up. Hakfoort and Coory wanted to correct this oversight that was “a bit counterintuitive and didn’t really showcase the beauty of the building.”

For the most part the swap of the two spaces was quite simple – except for one structural detail in the newer area of the back of the building. As part of the new gaming room, the mezzanine level was removed, however it was discovered that the mezzanine level actually offered horizontal structural support to the newer structure.

“Essentially we had to create a new steel structure to replicate the structural support that the mezzanine floor was providing, so we had to put in a couple of columns and some portal frames,” explains Coory.

Other than the structural change, the gaming room has been made plush with a red and gold colour scheme and the doublestorey high ceilings. In the dining room, the original red brick walls are the highlight, and are complemented by the original terrazzo tiling, new carpet, and timber booth and table seating with green leather upholstery. Powder-coated aluminium designs also fill in the spaces that adjoin different dining areas – adding a point of interest that can still be seen through.

The main public bar area has been rejuvenated with new timber flooring, black subway tiling on the bar front and new lighting. The back bar was also stripped of render, with new glass shelving and LED lighting allowing the red brick wall to once more take centre stage.

While the design directive of this project was to strip back the layers and highlight the heritage, Coory suggests that the aesthetic of the hotel is still contemporary, thanks to the addition of new furniture and the colour palette.

“We didn’t just return it back to yesteryear – all the furniture and the finishes are contemporary excepting for the original window frames and the brick walls and ceilings. So it’s got lots of mouldings and ceiling roses but its all white, fresh and contemporary.”

HAPPY ON ALL FRONTS The Redbrick Hotel was closed for eight months while the renovation took place. In an unheard of occurrence, the project actually finished early and under budget, allowing both Hakfoort group and Paynters to share the spoils of their success.

Coory puts the quick turnaround down to the strategies they employed during the build, in picking materials that did not have long lead times, and to an awareness of the lack of revenue coming in from the pub.

“The hotel was left empty for some months so it was imperative to get back to trading as soon as possible. It was just good management, I would say.”

Hakfoort Group also took back the operational reins of the hotel once it re-opened, as they had previously had a tenant in the venue. With his parents having bought the pub, Hakfoort was happy to take over once more. He is also thrilled with the way the pub’s history has been showcased in the new renovation – as are patrons.

“We’ve really put a lot of effort into bringing it back to the real heritage, raw feeling of the hotel. That’s the talking point that the customers are giving me feedback on. I’ve got to say, it’s actually probably a better outcome than what we envisaged.”

28 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

TRASH OR TREASURE? For many, including both Albert Hakfoort and Paul Coory, the exposed brick walls within the dining space are an absolute highlight of the new-look hotel. For Coory, not only is it about the beauty of the walls, but also about the effort that was made in being able to show them off.

“I know what was involved in achieving it – it wasn’t easy. When we were halfway through there were some bricks that were crumbling off and we thought we had made a mistake, because you can’t patch it. There were actually bits that broke off more than we anticipated and we found a whole lot of second-hand bricks in a tip and they were very similar to the colours of the original bricks. So we got our guys to rough them up a little bit and slot them into areas where we needed to plug some holes.

“Because the whole thing was quite random and a bit rough already, it actually worked quite well. It’s really hard to tell where that happens. The guys were a bit resourceful in doing that.”

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TENNIS

NRL

Don your whites, break out the cucumber sandwiches and Pimms Cups – it’s time for Wimbledon. Arguably the most posh of the four Grand Slams, the action will be live from the grass courts of the All England Tennis Club, at the start of the month.

When: Starts Monday 2 July, from 8pm.

Channel: Fox Sports 4.

For the only time this season, the NRL Telstra Premiership has lined up a Super Sunday – three games played back to back. The afternoon kicks off with the Broncos v Warriors; followed by the Dragons v West Tigers, and capped off with Titans v Roosters.

When: Sunday 15 July, starts 2pm.

Channels: 9 and Fox League.

UFC

UNION

Capitalise on Australia’s love for UFC, with two free events this month as part of a Fox Sports subscription. Dos Santos and Ivanov are scheduled mid-month; while a fortnight later lightweights Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier will rematch. Major bouts will return early next month with Dillashaw vs Garbrandt 2.

Dos Santos v Ivanov: Sunday 15 July, 12pm. Fox Sports.

Alvarez v Poirier 2: Sunday 29 July, 12pm. Fox Sports 4.

This year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament will have a bit of an American flavour, being held in San Francisco. The three-day tournament will see the best men’s and women’s international teams clash in this lightning-quick format of the game.

When: 21-23 July, from early morning until 2pm.

Channel: Fox Sports 4 (21 July) and Fox Sports 1 (22-23 July).

NEXT MONTH The Wallabies have something to prove as they try to take back the Bledisloe Cup from the All Blacks for the first time since 2002. Can the Aussie team end New Zealand’s 15-year streak? It all starts in August with Game One at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

When: Saturday 18 August.

Channels: 10 and Fox Sports 1. *All times are AEST

30 | JULY 2018 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER