‘A welcome improvement’: Businesses thrilled with active wet season trading

SOLID without being amazing, that’s how a local restaurateur summed up his trade during December and January

Darren Lynch (left) owner of The Precinct said it was a better than usual wet season for business. Picture: Keri Megelus

SOLID without being amazing, that’s how restaurateur Darren Lynch summed up his trade at the Waterfront Precinct during December and January.

“Normally it would be horrible for businesses over the wet season and it wasn’t,” he said.

Mr Lynch, who owns Wharf One, Bella and the Precinct Tavern, said trade was better than a normal wet season holiday period.

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“It was mostly local people with a sprinkling of interstaters floating around,” he said.

“The Precinct Tavern was pretty much closed for the first three weeks because we wanted to get some renovations to the kitchen done.

“So obviously it is hard to gauge things for that venue.

“However our other venues Bella and Wharf One had a steady flow of customers.

“It seemed pretty much like that for a lot of the other places at the Waterfront Precinct.

“It was helpful … a welcome improvement.

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“There were a lot more locals out and about for what you normally get during the wet season.

“People holidaying at home and stimulus vouchers were possibly part of it. We got a bit of clientele through those staying at the Waterfront using tourism vouchers but not a lot.

“It was more locals just coming in because they wanted to dine out.”