New Year’s Eve to be a blockbuster with NT venues expecting biggest celebrations since Inpex boom

TERRITORY pubs, bars and nightclubs are gearing up for their biggest New Year’s Eve since the peak of the Inpex boom

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PUBS, bars and nightclubs are gearing up for their biggest New Year’s Eve since the peak of the Inpex boom, as the thousands of extra people staying in the NT due to COVID-19 prepare to hit the town to ring in 2021.

With an influx of interstaters holidaying in the relatively COVID-free NT, and more locals staying put due to travel restrictions, the NT News understands multiple venues in Darwin are booked out for New Year’s Eve.

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Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said CBD venues were bracing for a big night.

“This will be our biggest (New Year’s Eve) in four or five years,” he said.

“Venues have been two to three times busier over the last week or so, so it’s going to be a cracker, especially in the CBD and at the Waterfront.”

“Staff rosters have been increased, venues are ordering extra supplies and bars have stocked up on kegs.

The Precinct staff members Katie Roache, Angelino Zidda and Danielle Jeavonns are getting ready for a bumper New Year's Eve, as Territory businesses brace for a big night. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

“And accommodation numbers in hotels in the city have been going gangbusters for the last week and a half, because a lot of people are doing staycations and extra travellers in Darwin are up.

“It’s because more locals are staying put, and that we are a COVID-safe destination for people who would otherwise be holidaying elsewhere.”

The Waterfront’s The Precinct venue manager Steve Searles said the business was expecting a record turnout.

“With the amount of people coming through the Waterfront, I think it will be the biggest the business has ever had,” he said.

“We’ll probably have about 1000 people. We’ve put an extra 14 staff on and we’ve stocked up on food again after we ran out of food three times this week already.”

Hotel Darwin bartender Grace Kairua is getting ready for a bumper New Year's Eve, as Territory businesses brace for a big night. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

Hotel Darwin general manager Brett Lubicz said the business had prepared for big crowds.

“We’re expecting it to be pretty busy all day … and we’re expecting it to be busier than the past few years,” he said.

“We’re definitely preparing a bit more than in years past, just with the vibrancy around the town.

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“We’ve got all our cocktails ready to go … and we’re making sure all our kegs are cold because you don’t want to run out of tap beer.”

The town is vibrant at the moment because people can’t travel overseas and they want to do something, and they’re heading up to the NT, which is great.”