On-premise operators around Australia will be hoping for a repeat of last year’s increase in trade when ‘the race that stops the nation’ begins tomorrow, 1 November.
On average, clients of hospitality reservations and ‘guest experience’ platform SevenRooms, reported a 62 per cent increase in customers during the 2021 Melbourne Cup, compared to a standard November weekday in the same year.
This year’s race will start at 3pm AEDT.
Marquee appointments
Furphy will occupy a specially constructed ‘Spacecube’ marquee, while G.H. Mumm has partnered with supermodel Duckie Thot on a Parisian garden.
The Furphy Marquee will provide a ‘distinctive trackside experience’ that reflects a ‘premium pub’, according to the brand.
Furphy Brand Director, Chris Allan, is hopeful the marquee will provide some festivity for the drinks industry.
“We want the Furphy Marquee to bring our customers together and celebrate the resilience of our industry over the past few years. From bartenders to publicans and retailers…we look forward to getting together and toasting the Carnival with a cold Furphy in hand,” Allan said.
“This year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival feels especially momentous for Furphy, as we make our return to Flemington after two long years watching on from afar. 2022 has seen the hospitality and events industry come back to life and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be giving our loyal customers a never-before seen experience in Australia – this blend of old-age and new-age will produce a refreshing world-class experience,” Allan added.
The marquee has been created through a partnership of Maake Creative, events firm MADE.Experiences and specialist modular building company Spacecube. At 108 tonnes and 935 sqm, the Furphy Marquee is the largest consumer-facing Spacecube structure built anywhere in the world so far. The Marquee will have multiple bars, room for 400 punters and trackside views.
The Furphy Marquee will contain nods to the brands history, including the Furphy water tanks that featured in the Western Front, Gallipoli and Egypt campaigns of WW1, and gave the beer its name. These are matched by elements from the ‘cheeky, playful beer brand that Aussies know and love’, Furphy stated.
Entertainment will be provided by DJ Jesse Brooks and Jared Becker on the saxophone. Furphy is also present in the food offering, which includes a beef and Furphy pie, and a ‘Furphy burger’.
G.H. Mumm marquee to feature Champagne fountain
Duckie Thot officially unveiled the marquee dressed in the hue of Mumm’s cordon rouge, or red ribbon. Thot’s dress was designed by Michael Lo Sordo, while her headpiece was created by Viktoria Novak.
Thot performed the ‘tap tap’ moment – tapping the neck of a Mumm three-litre jeroboam with a sabre, which produced a cascading fountain of Champagne. At the launch, Thot was joined by Lo Sordo, and members of the ‘2022 Mumm Collective’, a group of creatives from across the cultural sphere.
Pernod Ricard Australia Marketing Director Eric Thomson expressed his delight at returning trackside with the brand.
“This year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival feels momentous for G.H. Mumm as we can now return to Flemington after two years away. Our Birdcage marquee will bring people together, something we’ve all missed in recent years,” Thomson said.
“To further bring the G.H. Mumm experience to life, we are thrilled to have Chef de Caves Laurent Fresnet join us for his first Carnival to showcase the best of Mumm’s cuvées with the ultimate culinary experience.”
Culinary Director of Sydney restaurant Shell House, Joel Bickford, showcased his menu Mumm’s exclusive RSRV Private Dining Room, which includes his on the French classic, the ‘Croc(odile) Monsieur’, made with cured crocodile meat.
“We strive to create moments of celebration and enjoyment in a luxurious setting and the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the perfect occasion for G.H. Mumm and will continue to be so,” Thomson continued.
“We’re announcing today that we have renewed the partnership with VRC for a further two years, including G.H. Mumm’s presence in the Birdcage and the global flagship Mumm Champagne Bar in the Club Stand that was opened in 2018,” Thomson concluded.
The Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday, 1 November, and this will be the fifth year that Furphy has been present in the Birdcage, and Mumm’s 12th as official Champagne of the races.
