After Covid lockdowns, restaurants geared for record Christmas season
Venues are booking out and back to pre-Covid levels as the Adelaide hospitality industry braces for a record festive season.
Food & Wine
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Adelaide hospitality is braced for a record festive season, with the first Christmas free of Covid-19 restrictions since 2019.
Restaurateurs and function managers are reporting bookings are back to pre-Covid levels or stronger, with key dates at some popular venues booked solid.
Australian Hotels Association deputy chief executive officer Anna Moeller said “pent-up demand” may result in record spending.
“Covid was the Grinch that stole Christmas,” Ms Moeller said. “Off the back of two Christmases in a row that were essentially cancelled, this will be the first Christmas in three years that we’ve had without any restrictions.
“This will probably be one of the biggest festive periods we’ve ever had.”
Hospitality density limits were introduced in 2020, with one person per 4 sq m allowed in a single venue, capped at a total of 100 people. The rule returned in 2021, when South Australia opened its borders just prior to December, which resulted in a spike in reported Covid-19 cases.
Adelaide Convention Centre general manager Martin Radcliffe said the venue was experiencing “a record level of event activity … led primarily by convention and exhibition business”.
“December 9 and 10 are going to be massive with about 3000 people attending the centre’s ‘Santa’s – Aussie Christmas’ events, and another 1200 attending private Christmas functions over the two days,” he said.
“There is a huge appetite for organisations to meet and get together. The worst of Covid appears to be behind us, thankfully. Adelaide Convention Centre will achieve a record year in 2022-23.”
Martin Palmer, of Palmer Hospitality, said bookings had “definitely returned to pre-Covid levels”, with its city venues 2KW, Fishbank and the Art Gallery of South Australia restaurant booked out on key Fridays in December.
“The last two Fridays before Christmas are key dates – traditionally, the 16th will be the biggest Friday,” Mr Palmer said, noting that the 23rd may be quieter being only two days before Christmas Day.
Astrid Samuelsberg, functions manager at The Moseley Bar & Kitchen, in Glenelg, said the venue’s functions calendar was “packed for December”.
“I definitely think it’s back to pre-Covid levels, maybe even higher,” she said.
“Most functions are keen to go big, with the most popular options this year being three-course set menus and drinks packages.
“Saturdays are the most popular day, but this year we’ve also got lots of big functions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
Ms Moeller said events scheduled over December and early January would help bring in $100m in revenue across pubs, small bars and function centres in Adelaide.
“In December, you’ve got the VALO Adelaide 500, cricket as well, and after that you’re backing it up with things like the AFL Magic Round, LIV golf, TDU, Fringe, WOMAD and then, of course, NRL, so there's a big summer ahead,” she said.
“There’s the possibility for a record spend and capacity over that period.”
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