Bar owners lament 25 per cent loss because workers aren’t doing post-work drinks

Bar owners across Sydney lament a 25 per cent loss of revenue because pandemic lockdowns and hybrid working have killed the grand tradition of a beer after knock-off.

The rise of working from home has meant that the after-work drink with colleagues is a dying tradition.

Is the after work drink dead?

Bar owners across Sydney are lamenting a 25 per cent loss of income because patrons are no longer catching up for a beverage or two after work.

With businesses across the city still having most of their employees dividing their time between office and home, the culture of the after work drinks has died.

Grant Collins runs three bars in Chippendale including Gin Lane, which just turned five, and Blossom Bar.

He says the Monday post work trade is “horrendous” and sales overall are down 25 per cent on pre-Covid levels, because of the lack of people travelling to work in the office, and popping for a beverage on their way home.

Gin Lane founder and operator Grant Collins, with bartender Jackson Davis pictured at Gin Lane in Chippendale. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“Pre-Covid, Tuesday nights used to be huge for us. We would do an all-night happy hour and by 4pm we would be full. That’s gone,” he said.

“Friday night post-work drinks are the saddest. We would be busy from 2pm to close and there was a real buzz and energy. Now it still gets busy, but not till 6.30pm. It’s a big change and it makes it hard to plan with staff.”

The Japanese Breakfast Martini at Gin Lane features Japanese Gin / Orange Sec / Yuzu / Fresh Grapefruit / Toast / Yuzu Pearls / Burnt Toast Tincture “mist”.

Bar owner Grant Collins from Blossom Bar and Gin Lane.

Collins has plenty of experience in hospitality, and opened Zeta Bar and Potato Head in Bali. He said his team has thrown everything at trying to encourage people out: offering extended happy hours including all discounted martini’s on Mondays; all night happy hour on Tuesday and all day happy hour on Fridays.

He also continues to work on his experimental cocktail list, which includes the Japanese Breakfast Martini or the martini served three ways — patrons can smoke, eat and sip it.

Collins said the support from his regular customers has been encouraging. Now he just wants the governments help in encouraging people back into the office.

“We’ve never worked so hard with PR and marketing and deals,” he said. “We’ve done all we can.”

Botswana Butchery, in Martin Place, is trying to combat the problem by offering an aperitivo hour, serving $10 cocktails for two hours on it’s rooftop, and serving free snack sized version of its food.

“While our restaurant is full, we’ve got a rooftop bar overlooking the city that is not being used because people are less likely to pop in for a quick drink post work,” said the venue’s PR and Marketing manager Karma Rennie.

Collins said the support from his regular customers has been encouraging. Now he just wants the governments help in encouraging people back into the office.