Australian Hotelier has moved the Pub Leaders Summit from late November to 22 March 2021. In the meantime, the national trade publication will be hosting a free virtual event on how venues can make the most out of the upcoming functions season under COVID restrictions.
The decision to postpone the Pub Leaders Summit until March next year was made in light of current trading restrictions across the country, and to allow venues every opportunity to take advantage of what trade is available.
“While we had initially hoped that more trading restrictions across the country would be lifted by this stage, and that an end-of-year Pub Leaders Summit would help the industry move forward after an incredibly tough year, it now feels more pertinent to not interrupt the busiest trading portion of the year, when operators really need to be in venue,” stated managing editor Vanessa Cavasinni.
And while no one can predict the hold this crisis will have on the country in the medium-term, the hope is that a move to March will see more venues opened with at least a few good months of trading behind them, and fewer interstate borders closed.
“While it’s disappointing to not host a Pub Leaders Summit in 2020, we think a March Summit is in the best interests of the industry. And in the meantime, Australian Hotelier will continue to support pub operators with news and resources to guide venues through this crisis. Our upcoming functions virtual event is just another way in which we are helping to address the issues that publicans are currently working through,” commented Paul Wootton, publisher of Australian Hotelier.
Save the date
The free virtual event ‘Party season: How to run functions safely and profitably in 2020’ will be held on Thursday 5 November from 10-11am AEDT.
It will look at how venues can make the most of what is typically the busiest season of the year – particularly for functions – and how to do so under COVID restrictions. Roundtable guests will include Rob Comiskey, director of the Comiskey Group (Sandstone Point Hotel, Eatons Hill Hotel) and Jodie McLean, director of JEM Events, a boutique event management agency servicing SMEs. More speakers will be announced shortly.
“It’s going to be one of the toughest function seasons operators have ever encountered. Venues need to have plans as to how to tackle the limitations they’re working with, while still creating the party atmosphere that will get groups booking with your venue – and making it fiscally worthwhile! It’s a lot to juggle, so we’ll be asking a few experts for strategies and advice as to how to pull it all off successfully,” stated Cavasinni.
Registration for the free virtual event will open shortly, so keep an eye out on our website and in your inboxes.
In the meantime, if you have any questions you’d like answered throughout the roundtable, send them through to Vanessa at vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au