Toowoomba pub named one of the best in Queensland

THE locals love this pub and the now the rest of Queensland is taking notice.

Brad Fitzgibbons, from Fitzy's, said his family was overjoyed to be named business of the year at the Heritage Bank Business Excellence Awards on Saturday night.

WHEN the Fitzgibbons family bought Fitzy’s 18 years ago it was a tiny bar with one of the smallest commercial kitchens on the city.

It barely had enough room to fit a chef, an apprentice and a dishie.

Still the pub established a reputation for quality food and service.

These days the hotel is one of Toowoomba’s largest.

It has multiple dining rooms and two public bars.

This growth, and the popularity underpinning it, landed the hotel the title of business of the year at the Heritage Bank Business Excellence Awards, Saturday.

Fitzy marketing manager Anita Armanasco said the family was not content to rest on its laurels.

“It has been a big year for us,” she said.

“We took on some really large projects and some large charity luncheons.”

A number of these projects were to raise money for drought affected farmers.

We are doing an inaugural Feast for a Farmer, for Drought Angels,” Mrs Armanasco said.

“It is something we would like to do yearly, or twice-yearly.

“We really like to support our community and do what we can to raise the profile of the drought.”

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Five generations of the family have been in hospitality, over the past 80 years.

“We live and breathe the business. There have been plenty of players come and go in that time. That means we are doing something right,” Mrs Armanasco said.

The family will be in Brisbane tonight for Queensland Hotels Association Awards for Excellence.

It is a finalist for the best restaurant award.

“It is anyone’s chance,” manager Brad Fitzgibbons said.

“We are up against some substantial competition, like Regatta Hotel and the Story Bridge Hotel.

“We have been a consistent finalist over the past couple of years but have not been able to take the award out of Brisbane.”