Publican Simone Douglas blames ‘red tape’ and bills for schnitzel price after Advertiser People’s Cabinet

Simone Douglas has a message for those grumbling about rising pub food prices, but insists there are straightforward actions the government can take to make a difference.

Since buying the Duke of Brunswick Hotel in 2017, Simone Douglas has had to raise the price of a chicken schnitzel with chips from $18 to $27.50 – and that’s now minus salad.

Aside from ballooning energy prices and rent, in the same period her monthly insurance bill soared from $500 to $2000 and her ReturnToWork levy jumped from $651 to $1820 a month.

On the back of appearing at The Advertiser People’s Cabinet on Thursday, urging politicians to rethink small business policies, the 50-year-old publican revealed she is only breaking even despite increasing food and beverage prices.

In fact, the pub’s break-even point has doubled since she took over, from approximately $18,000 to $36,000 per week.

“When someone asks me why a snitty is more expensive, I say the same pressure you’re experiencing, so are we, it’s just amplified,” Ms Douglas said.

Duke of Brunswick owner Simone Douglas said despite charging 50 per cent more for a chicken schnitzel over seven years, her venue is still only breaking even. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“Some customers say the business down the road can charge $15, but they have a gaming room, which we don’t, they might be paying less payroll tax, or they might have a bigger roof for solar panels.

“It’s frustrating when you’re absorbing as much as you can and you still have to raise prices. I understand that it makes people reconsider that snitty, but it’s that versus having to let go 15 people who depend on you.”

The Advertiser People’s Cabinet. L-R: Property Council SA executive director Bruce Djite, Duke of Brunswick Hotel owner Simone Douglas, ‘Yi-Lan the Panda’, Advertiser editor-at-large Paul Starick, Productivity Commission SA chair Adrian Tembel, university student Sargunpreet Kaur and former Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Ms Douglas said there were levers that politicians could control to ease the pressure.

She pointed to the “massive amount of red tape” facing hospitality operators, estimating she spends “a couple of thousand year” complying with government regulations.

For example, since 2023 she spent “in the order of thousands” implementing the new Food Standards Code 3.2.2A, which requires pubs to staff a qualified food safety supervisor at all times, despite the fact chefs receive similar training during their schooling.

“We have a five-star food safety rating already and we take it very seriously ... I think it’s a great example of punishing the 98 per cent for the two per cent who do the wrong thing,” she said.

“If you own a hospitality business, you’re dealing with about 100 different pieces of legislation … then there are things like outdoor dining permits, additional training, having HeartStart [defibrillators] which all adds up.”

Ms Douglas advised the government to “bring people together who are outside the pond, with divergent views”.

She urged federal Labor to match the Opposition’s pledge of halving the fuel excise, in order to promote discretionary spending, and tweak the fringe benefits tax “so an electrician isn’t taxed for buying his apprentice a drink after being in crawl spaces all day”.

“We’re constantly told we have to pivot or change our approach, otherwise we’ll go out of business, and I think the government should take a leaf out of our book,” she said.

Check out a full re-cap of The Advertiser People’s Cabinet here.

Originally published as Publican Simone Douglas blames ‘red tape’ and bills for schnitzel price after Advertiser People’s Cabinet