NO MORNING STAR FOR MELBOURNE
The purgatory being felt in pubs in Victoria has claimed its first victims, with two popular Melbourne hotels announcing permanent closure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past decade and a half the historic Mona Castle Hotel
INDUSTRY REELS AS RESTRICTIONS ROLL ON
The hotel industry has reacted swiftly to yesterday’s announcement that Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions have been extended in a plan scheduled until the end of the year, as test results put some question on the cost versus benefit. The Victorian government’s
MATHIESON PREDICTS LONG RECOVERY AS ALH STRUGGLES
Pub chieftain Bruce Mathieson predicts a long and bumpy recovery from COVID-19, as Australia’s biggest publican is further hammered by restrictions and shutdowns. In a recent interview with The Australian, Mathieson spoke of grave fears for the economic damage being
LIVE MUSIC AUSTRALIA GRANTS PROGRAM
Applications will soon close for the first round of grants for venues, in support of the live music industry. The Federal Government announced a grants program on 11 August to support hotels and clubs in further engaging live music artists.
HARVEST REAP BENEFITS IN COURTHOUSE
Harvest Hotels has today reopened one of Tamworth’s oldest and most beloved pubs, the Courthouse Hotel, following an extensive renovation and reinvention. Built circa 1876, the pub was closed in June last year to undergo a full-scale transformation, encompassing everything
RAISE THE BAR: PROFITABILITY
Diageo has released more industry resources through its US$100 million ‘Raise the Bar’ support program, tapping a global knowledge base in aid of all licensed venues. The Raise the Bar program counts $11.5 million allocated to Australian operators. The program
PHOENIX FINED $10K AMID CLUSTER COMMOTION
A Sydney pub has been slapped with two COVID-breach fines after failing a reinspection, as the list of venues getting locked down for cleaning continues to grow. The Phoenix Hotel in Woollahra had Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors visit twice
ROSZAKS PUT UP THE DUKE’S
The handsome Duke’s Inn of Northam is now for sale amid what is predicted to be an ongoing surge in regional travel among intrastate tourists. Northam is only 90 minutes from Perth, in the heart of the wheatbelt’s Avon tourist
THE SINGLETON LAUNCHED IN OZ WITHOUT RULES
Furthering the ongoing market for new experiences in whisky for newcomers to the category, Diageo is launching in Australia The Singleton 12-year-old with “no rulebook”. Coming Down Under from Dufftown Distillery in Speyside, The Singleton 12-year-old is a single malt
WOW PROFIT SLUMP BLAMED ON PUBS
ASX-listed supermarket giant Woolworths has reported a major profit reduction in its full year results for FY20, largely under the weight of the ALH portfolio being closed for months. Woolworths Group (ASX:WOW) chief executive Brad Banducci offered that earnings had