You know the mining boom is over when those larger taverns and restaurants that spent a bucket load on fit-out only years ago are re-thinking the next phase - see article here and here.
Thats good news for punters and Perth in general as it means competition gets tough, bad operators drown and there is potential for pints of beer to go down!. And you know when the going get tough, the tough get get going (Billy Ocean where are you now?)
To help you along we provide our top five tips for getting the most out of your hospitality venue dollar;
1. Maximise patron area - The goal is to get more bums on seats. This is what pays the bills. The best place to start is to take a detailed look at the way your bar or kitchen works, what type of food and beverages you sell and stripping it down to process. Toilet areas are money pits so keep them tight and small to get your punters out of them and back to eating /drinking.
2. Keep it real - Chrome, glass and all those other plastic shiny things are gone. That was Perth circa 00's. Never use a product that attempts to imitate nature. Keep it real, raw and if you dont need to paint it, clad it, cover it up.... then dont waste your dollar.
3. Design matters - Perth is now very design concious and mature enough to appreciate the value design can have on a space - some punters will even turn away when they see a space they dont like. Dont follow magazine trends, but understand your target market, the area and the style of food / beverage you are presenting. This will result in a place which just 'feels right' and not out of place. Add somethinhg differrent, find thosse hidden suprises, additional floor area, roof tops, outside areas to add value to your space.
4. Spend 20 get a whole lot more - Spend 20 minutes with those in the industry, bartenders, chefs, wait staff, managers and the like and you will start to see ways to improve process with design. They know these spaces intimately and can show us all how to do things better. Give us a call too, we dont bite and more than happy to have a chat and run over your ideas. We love making Perth a more livable city.
5. Get flexible - The days of single focus are gone. You gotta get the most out of your space from break o' dawn to the wee hours of debauchery. The best venues are flexible and will change mood as the day moves into night, like Lyric Lane in Maylands. It will go from early morn coffee, breakfast and skip into brunch and lunch with ease. It may even tempt you to stay longer with your business deals to enjoy a few more wines, and then..... why not head down to the basement to enjoy a live show. A venue should be thinking 24 hours rather than business hours.