Osk Bar and Flinders Social owner Richard Norris adapts to fit into Townsville precinct

After focusing on speed with premade drinks on tap, a Flinders St bar owner learned from the ‘punch in the face’ of poor early sales.

Richard Norris at Flinders Social. Picture: Evan Morgan

A cocktail bar owner believes a relaunch of his business is necessary to adapt to the competitive nightlife scene on Flinders Street.

Flinders Social owner Richard Norris is betting on a growing and resilient Townsville economy and will offer cocktails which will rely on advanced food science techniques and locally sourced ingredients.

“There are a number of cocktail establishments on Flinders Street all doing great things and doing things in their own way, but we’ve found our niche,” Mr Norris said.

He said when the bar first opened in July he wanted to cater to group events with larger tables.

Service would be slowed down by made-to-order cocktails, and he believed offering them on tap would be the solution.

The original look of Flinders Social when it first opened in July. The bar’s owner Richard Norris said the larger table layout didn’t work, and that he had to adapt to increase capacity.

He realised through customer feedback and sales that he was wrong, and after being metaphorically “punched in my face” decided to pivot.

“I came to the conclusion that people in Townsville were at a place here where they were happy to wait a bit longer, and have bit more of a crafted cocktail experience rather than something produced on tap, especially on Flinders Street.”

Mr Norris already owned Osk Bar in North Ward but was offered the chance to build his own bar in the heritage listed ‘Greasy’ building.

“I’d either make it work or go down in flames, and obviously I was committed to making it work,” Mr Norris said.

Mr Norris said he was hosting an event on the weekend to celebrate the new direction taken.

“It’s almost a 2.0 and relaunch and nailing to that market,” he said.

He said people moving to Townsville to work in a variety of industries including in government, technology and in health, wanted to be able to use their disposable income to enjoy themselves.

“I think Townsville probably laboured for a long time in the shadows and with Queensland Nickel closing in 2016 and with the pandemic, and we have managed to prove we’re quite resilient.”

“I do think economically the region is on an upward trajectory … people want to come to Townsville where there is opportunity,” Mr Norris said.

Originally published as Osk Bar and Flinders Social owner Richard Norris adapts to fit into Townsville precinct