Noosa Council is working through community consultation, with a new Local Law that will provide a regulating framework governing short term accommodation offerings. This includes short-stay letting and home-hosted accommodation.

These rule changes will affect anyone operating a Short Term Accommodation (STA) operation including holiday letting, AirBnB, bed and breakfast, or similar operation.

To comply with the proposed short term accommodation requirements of the local law and the planning scheme changes, operators should ensure their particular operation is assessed against the Noosa Plan (2006 and 2020) and local law provisions. This assessment will identify what impacts the changes will have on their property and how they can mitigate those changes.

RG Strategic is currently offering free 30 minute consultations to identify and outline how these changes may impact your short term accommodation operation. You can call us on 07 5474 3873 or email us now to book this consultation.

With the new rules slated to come into effect early in the second half of the year, you must act now to ensure you comply fully with the new changes.

5 Star Review from Sally via Google Reviews

“Russell from RG Strategic was very knowledgeable and professional when he helped us gain Council approval for our Short Term Accommodation. I highly recommend using his service.”

The RG Strategic Short Term Accommodation Assessment Process

RG Strategic will assess your operation against the outlined requirements including:

• Existing approvals (if any) and how they apply
• Identifying any new applications required to continue operating lawfully
• Addressing the provision for Contact Person to reside within 20 minutes of the premises
• Requirement for a “Code of Conduct”
• Other administrative requirements including public liability insurance, legislated signage, guest registers, parking provisions, complaints register.
• To gain confidence that you will meet all required obligations when the new rules come into effect, take advantage of our free consultation today.

5 Star Review from Julie via Google Reviews

“Russell from RG Strategic did a great job in getting Council approval for our short-term accommodation. We found Russell very friendly and competent and really knows his stuff. Highly recommended!”

Contact us now to take advantage of our offer of this free 30-minute consultation. The new rules and requirements are slated to come into effect early in the second half of the year so act now. You can call us on 07 5474 3873 or email us now using the form below.

5 Star Review from Steven via Google Reviews

“Can’t thank Russell and the team enough for their help navigating the changes to the Noosa Plan and how they might impact our property. The service was always really prompt and a much better approach compared to trying to navigate the application process on our own. Thanks!”

The post New Noosa Short Term Accommodation (STA) Rules – Do You Comply with the Proposed Changes? appeared first on RG Strategic.

At its meeting on 9 March 2021, Noosa Shire Council’s Planning and Environment Committee considered changes to draft local laws governing the operation of short term or short stay accommodation in Noosa Shire.

We outline some of the changes and their possible impact – positive and negative – on operators and what we can do to mitigate these negative changes.

The changes result from the first round of public consultation on local laws proposed in late 2020 to regulate short stay letting in Noosa Shire. Read our article on the initial changes here.

You can view the 9 March committee agenda here. We have also taken the liberty of extracting the relevant section from the agenda, which you can download here.

The public consultation brought several issues to light, which Council has considered and addressed in the proposed changes.

There are some good changes and, as always, some changes we think are detrimental to operators and the industry.

RG Strategic is offering free 30 minute consultations to discuss how these changes may impact your short term letting operation. Call us on 07 5474 3873 or email us now to book.

The good for Short Stay Accommodation Operators

The proposed changes remove several imposts that seemed too restrictive in our eyes.

• The requirement for body corporate approval of short term letting has been removed.
• Planning scheme matters that local law cannot regulate (like occupancy and hours of use of outdoor areas) have been removed.
• Exemptions for properties using onsite letting agents have been removed, helping to level the playing field.
• among other removals and changes

The Bad

In amongst the good are some, we feel, too restrictive provisions. We outline some below.

Provision for Contact Person to reside within 20 minutes of the premises

Probably the most restrictive new inclusion in the draft local law is the requirement for the “defined contact” to be contactable 24/7 and reside within 20 minutes of the premises being offered as short stay accommodation.

This appears more a move to restrict operations of investors who may not have a local presence. These operators still employ local services like cleaners and maintenance trades, but may not live in the immediate vicinity. Naturally, we are confident that existing letting agents are eager to fill this vacuum of services providing 24-hour contact for remote operators.

However, we are also concerned that some operators who do live locally will fall into this restriction. Try getting to Noosa Heads from Kin Kin, for instance, in under 20 minutes.

Requirement for a “Code of Conduct”

Operators of short term letting premises will be required to develop a code of conduct for guest behaviour before the operator’s application is considered and approved. This needs to include items like:

• vehicle storage
• onsite use of premises like pools, spas, gyms, BBQ areas, decks and balconies
• expectations of behaviour while on premises
• management of pets
• waste management
• safety and cleanliness requirements

This code of conduct needs to be developed specifically for the premises in question and must be provided to guests on arrival.

Home Hosted accommodation now included

Activities requiring approval now include home hosted accommodation. While we understand the desire for approval requirements for commercial operations, home hosted accommodation can include operations not commercial in nature.

The draft local law defines home hosted accommodation as where the person in charge of the premises resides on those premises while the occupant uses the premises.

This can include services that charge a fee, such as Airbnb, but also those services that do not charge a fee for the accommodation provided, like CouchSurfing.com.

Other administrative requirements

The local laws outline a range of other administrative requirements operators are required to develop or provide before being approved. These items include:

• The provision of contact person details and signage at the front of relevant properties (does your property need this signage?).
• Ensuring operations do not affect existing residents’ amenity.
• Provision for guests to enter the property without causing a disturbance to other residents.
• Adequate provision for parking (what is adequate for your property?).
• Requirements for public liability insurance.
• Maintenance of a guest register available for Council inspection.
• Maintenace of a complaints register available for Council inspection.

Our concern for short stay letting operators

Our concern is that these new restrictive measures are a knee-jerk reaction to some particular fervent submissions to the first round of public consultation.

Council cites “lack of regulation and complaint management” and “negative residential amenity impacts” as justifications for these new additional requirements.

We don’t believe that residential amenity is greatly impacted due to short stay accommodation “creating a higher intensity and turnover of guests” as mentioned in the report.

If you have lived in unit developments, you’ll know that some of these issues are not particular to short term letting. Residents are often also the cause and reason for these types of complaints.

A cursory review of the proposed local law highlights how detrimental some of these changes may be to operators. While we also recognise there will be some benefits to the community as a whole, we need to balance these benefits with some of the proposed regulations’ restrictiveness.

What can you do?

If you are an operator of short stay accommodation or letting options in Noosa Shire and these proposed changes will impact you, you need to prepare a comprehensive submission to Council.

Council is looking at opening up the draft local laws for public comment and consultation for four weeks in late March or early April.

You must have your submission to Council in that timeframe to have your voice heard.

With decades of experience in local laws, RG Strategic can assist with your submission research and preparation. You need to ensure it is a considered and supported opinion outlining your concerns and the reasons for those concerns.

Contact us today to book a free 30 minutes review of how these proposed local laws could affect your operation – whether you offer single or multiple Airbnb premises, couch surfing or other forms of short term accommodation premises. We can help you determine how you will be impacted and how you can mitigate or meet the new requirements. Click here to book your appointment.

The post Short Stay Accommodation – new proposed rules and management imposts on operators in Noosa Shire appeared first on RG Strategic.

Using outdoor space to contribute vibrancy and a sense of place to communities, retail, shopping precincts and neighbourhood centres is not a new concept.

Outdoor dining is one of those activities, but hospitality owners often run into a quandary when trying to work through applications and requirements, especially requirements for additional car parking.

This car parking debate is an ongoing, circular, self-defeating argument that never seems to goes away.

Café and restaurant operators naturally want to maximise the space for which they pay rent and receive the best financial return. Development assessment planners, on the other hand, will suggest that this is increasing “use area” and as such, additional car parking will be required.

Let us present a hypothetical case of how the situation could play out for a hospitality owner within a current coastal planning scheme.

If they wish to add outdoor dining within their property, it may require a Material Change of Use (MCU) application (open the chequebook). It has the potential, as it is increasing use area, to require additional car parking spaces to be provided (good luck with that). They may also find that they are now over Site Cover and Plot Ratio provisions (meaning approval is unlikely – the planners in the world will understand this).

If, at the end of the day, they are successful in gaining approval, they will have the same conditions as before, AND they will be hit with an Infrastructure Charge for the additional use area (they’ll need that chequebook again).

They consider all options and realise they can also request from Council to have what is known as Footpath Trading or, for a better description Footpath Dining. Footpath Dining usually occurs on Council land, i.e. road reserve, park, etc. They can apply to Council to use the area and if approved they pay an annual fee for its use, beef up your Public Liability Policy, and away you go – no need to pay Infrastructure Charges, no need to find additional car parking spaces. They can even apply to the OLGR to have the area licensed. This Footpath Dining application is usually processed within 20 business days, compared to the MCU application, which may take up to 55 business days.

In effect, the number of people able to use the space doesn’t necessarily change between the MCU route vs the Footpath Dining route. But it is only under the MCU route that additional requirements for car parking are required.

Councils in tourism orientated local government areas need to understand how confusing and illogical this is to a hospitality operator.

Interestingly, surveys have been taken pre-covid in key tourism localities within cafes and restaurants with outdoor dining looking at visitation into the tourism precinct pre 10 am. Of those visitors, 92% utilising outdoor dining were in the precinct to walk, swim, other forms of exercise and that attending the café was a secondary outcome for being in the precinct.

Other interesting data collated was:

• Over the three key dining periods (breakfast, lunch and dinner) 87% of all diners were staying within the tourism precinct and walked to the venue
• post 6 pm, even during peak tourism periods, key precincts have vacant on-street car parking spaces available

The ongoing challenge that is outdoor dining, car parking, use area, site cover will never reach a clear and concise conclusion. Still, in a post covid hospitality industry, a greater understanding of operating pressures and real, not perceived, impacts of additional space usage on operators must be considered. And they must be considered in a meaningful and respectful way by those assessing applications.

The post The paradox of outdoor dining and car parking appeared first on RG Strategic.

Positioned in the newly refurbished upper Mary Street professional district opposite the main crossing with a great foot trade due to long-established businesses in the immediate vicinity.

Great street frontage in a newly renovated 1893 building. Massive bay window with polished original floors and pressed metal ceiling. Long term lease. Completely out of flood zone.

+ 55m² ground floor tenancy
+ Shared toilet facilities and back of house
+ Great exposure to foot traffic directly opposite pedestrian crossing
+ Large floor to ceiling display windows
+ Outside Gympie flood zone – never had floodwaters enter the building
+ Plenty of parking in close proximity

Contact Russell at RG Strategic on 0438 210 182.

Download Info Sheet

Contact Russell at RG Strategic on 0438 210 182.

Download Info Sheet

The post Lease – 203 Mary Street, Gympie appeared first on RG Strategic.

A recent article on Commercial Real Estate outlines how several property holders have been able to diversify and grow their income during the pandemic.

Supplementing traditional farm income with agritourism is helping several landowners through this crisis.

A 2800-hectare sheep and cattle farm in NSW has taken on six casual staff and one full-time staff member to support their accommodation venture. The venture currently brings in a turnover equal to the farm income with an added bonus of a higher profit margin.

Farms with accommodation options are finding people who usually holiday overseas are opting for rural experiences and accommodation options.

In Queensland alone agritourism is forecast to grow to $5 billion by 2030.

With the recent update to the Noosa Plan and changes to short-term accommodation now is the time to review your offering. Even if you are not in the Noosa shire understanding what’s allowed under the zoning laws applicable to you is important if investing in a new venture.

Contact RG Strategic today. Our experienced town planners can help identify the possibilities for your property.

Read Commercial Real Estate’s article “Pandemic helps agritourism boom in many rural areas”.

The post New opportunities in tourism for agribusiness appeared first on RG Strategic.

RG Strategic’s Managing Director Russell Green sat down with Mark Baldwin, Group General Manager of FUDA Enterprise Group, to talk about the project, the challenges and the outcomes.

The site, at 14 Mary Street, had traded from the 70s as a transport depot. It later became a busy mower shop and eventually the home to the surfing institution that is Noosa Longboards.

The site was zoned specifically for hostels, but different elements had always made it challenging to achieve a viable yield for other developers.

Bounce Hostels offer upmarket accommodation for budget travellers and the adventure tourism sector and have hostels around the country. Noosaville is next on their list.

READ MORE: See our Town Planning Case Study of Bounce Hostel.

RG Strategic: What made you choose Noosaville as your next Bounce Hostel site?

Mark Baldwin: We were looking at other properties in other locations at the time, but it doesn’t get much better than Noosa, and we were very excited to secure the site.

Having such a strong marketing body in Tourism Noosa is key. I know from many years in the Youth Tourism sector that Tourism Noosa has a fantastic focus on youth. They understand its importance and the revenue it can bring to any destination. This is definitely not the case in other towns and cities.

RG: When did you obtain the site?

Mark: We obtained the site in February 2019.

RG: What considerations were taken when acquiring the site?

Mark: Project viability is the greatest factor in any development. We are still only in the early stages of building, and there have been so many mountains to climb to get to where we are now.

I have no doubt there will be more issues to face on the way to build completion and in the first few years of operation. As with many businesses, COVID-19 will have a big impact on us, and we are going to have to be very versatile to work our way through it.

RG: What were the challenges specific to this site and what Bounce wanted to achieve?

Mark: There were several challenges we had on this journey. Everything comes down to viability, and there were many obstacles to overcome to ensure there was a match between the project outcome and the site restrictions.

One example from when we were trying to work towards a DA was a regulation that only allowed a building size of 300m2 per lot. As we had two lots, this would have meant a total building footprint of 600m2. Our business model aims to provide guests with the best accommodation experience available. This requires comfortable, sizable rooms and extensive facilities for their enjoyment. 600m2 would not have been enough to provide the level of product we wanted to achieve for the allowable number of guests on this site. RG Strategic managed to find a solution that was supported by council where we would split the building into smaller pods, which was in-line with planning regulations.

RG: Have your plans changed from the time you acquired the site to now? How?

Mark: No, not much at all. We aimed to design a hotel/hostel hybrid that had a lot of flexible spaces. We know the market will change over the years and we want to be prepared for it.

RG: Why was RG Strategic selected to provide town planning services for the development?

Mark: We initially spoke to a selection of Town Planners and RG Strategic was picked ahead of the rest. Thinking back to that time, I believe that there was a genuine excitement from the principal, Russell Green, supporting what we wanted to achieve. He gave us confidence. He promised he would get the job done and the then went above and beyond to deliver on his promise.

RG: What specific issues were RG Strategic engaged to address?

Mark: They were engaged to get Development Approval then continue to support us through to the completion of the project.

RG: What solutions did RG Strategic propose that assisted with the development and ultimately the commercial viability of the development?

Mark: The one that stands out is the one I mentioned earlier when we were faced with the issue of only being allowed to build a 600m2 footprint on a 1300m2 site. Russell worked through it, found a solution and it was accepted by council. This was an issue that I believe would have stopped us proceeding with the acquisition of the site. Fortunately, we got past it.

There are so many other solutions that have been provided by the team at RG Strategic. We have owned the site 15 months and RG Strategic were engaged 6-8 months before that. There are constantly issues that arise and right behind that are the solutions RG Strategic provide.

RG: How did RG Strategic make the development process easier for the development?

Mark: Developing a property like this is a complex process that is constantly changing. They literally held our hand through the whole process. Great communication, incredible patience and constant support.

RG: Would you recommend RG Strategic and why?

Mark: I would highly recommend Russell and his team from RG Strategic. They truly have played a big role in getting this project to where it is today.

READ MORE: See our Town Planning Case Study of Bounce Hostel.

The post From problem site to a development winner appeared first on RG Strategic.

Client: Bounce Hostel (FUDA Enterprise Group)
Commenced: Material Change of Use (MCU) application lodged June 2018 – Approved March 2019, Operational Works (OPW) application lodged February 2019 – Approved June 2019
Services: Development Approval for Material Change of Use and Operational Works / Liquor Licence / Food Premises Licence / Building Approval / Plumbing Approval

Outline

Bounce Hostel engaged RG Strategic to assist in the development approval, liquor and food license, building and plumbing approvals.

READ MORE: Read our interview with Mark Baldwin, Group General Manager of FUDA Enterprise Group, the developers of Bounce Noosa Hostel

Challenges

A site zoned for hostel accommodation had proved difficult to develop as achieving potential maximum development yields (bed numbers and population) whilst still meeting the Noosa Town Planning Schemes provisions for GFA, Site Cover, and Building Height were problematic. Previous concepts presented by other developers struggled with the notion of supplying grade car parking to meet the town planning scheme requirements and then having sufficient site space left to provide a development footprint that achieved the best yields possible.

• Gross floor area and site cover constraints
• Carparking requirements

Outcome

Working closely with Bounce Hostel and Noosa Council, RG Strategic were able to creatively address the constraints on the subject site to ensure a viable development project for Bounce Hostels.

While the site was comprised of two lots, each lot was allowed a maximum building size (GFA) restricted to 600m2. This restriction didn’t allow Bounce Hostel adequate capacity, in a traditional form, with their offering of larger rooms and bigger amenity spaces.

RG Strategic developed a solution to the building size parameter of the Noosa Plan and requirements set by Council which in turn helped improve the viability of the project for Bounce.

RG worked on delivering four building pods to meet the density and site cover provisions, and overcame a tricky build over sewer challenge towards the rear of the block.

This “pod” style building layout gave Bounce Hostel the development yield required, met council’s requirements and was in line with their planning regulations.

To address car parking requirements, RG proposed the development of underground basement car parking, the first in Noosa, and addressed a flooding concern by proposing the installation of an innovative flood barrier.

The barrier, developed by Flow Defence in Australia, allowed Bounce Hostel to provide the required car parking and ensuring the site aboveground stayed sympathetic to the locality and environment.

RG Strategic chose the Flow Defence flood barrier for its ease of installation and importantly ease of maintenance and operation.

The town planning and building development solutions RG Strategic generated, ensured project viability for Bounce Hostels while meeting the needs of council and the surrounding community.

The project is scheduled for completion in late 2020.

From the Developer

“Developing a property like this is a complex process that is constantly changing. RG Strategic literally held our hand through the whole process. Great communication, incredible patience and constant support. I would highly recommend Russell and his Town Planning team from RG Strategic. They truly have played a big role in getting this project to where it is today.”
Mark Baldwin – Group General Manager of FUDA Enterprise Group – Bounce Hostel

READ MORE: Read our interview with Mark Baldwin, Group General Manager of FUDA Enterprise Group, the developers of Bounce Noosa Hostel

The post Client Project: Bounce Hostel, Noosaville appeared first on RG Strategic.

The resource outlines each of the 3 stages of easing of restrictions and has provided links and checklists for you to produce to enable compliance.

Information includes:

• COVID-19 Safe Checklist
• COVID Safe Training Course
• COVID-19 Safe Plan

Click here to access the resource.

At RG Strategic we are liaising closely with OLGR to have the latest up to date information for our Tourism and Hospitality clients. As a specialist Liquor Licence and Tourism consultant, we are available to discuss with you any matter that you require further info on.

The post How to be ready for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions appeared first on RG Strategic.

Based on exceptional service and traditional Italian cuisine, with a creative modern twist, Emilia’s has been a remarkable story of local success.

But even a strong business, like Emilia’s, has faced a reckoning with the advent of COVID-19 and the downturn in business it has brought with it.

Owner Jodi Giorno recalls not being too concerned initially.

“We had a strong business and I expected some downturn, but I had no doubt we would continue to trade,” Ms Giorno said.

But then government restrictions were put in place effectively shutting down the business.

“That was a gut punch,” Giorno recalls. “All of a sudden it seemed 17 years of hard work had been swept from under my feet.”

A chance to pause and rethink

“When the restrictions hit I had no choice but to close the doors. I had to stand down my staff. Some of them had been with me since the beginning,” Giorno continued.

“It was heartbreaking and initially I really felt for myself and the business. But eventually, I realised I didn’t want to give up that easily,” she says.

It’s a decision she thinks other people in the hospitality industry can make.

“I needed some time to take stock and get over the shock,” Giorno explains. “But once I did that and realised we had to make this work I looked for the help and advice I needed”.

“This became all about trying to think about what I could offer, that would work, and stay true to what we have done for 17 years. I had thought of offering a takeaway option of our regular menu items but I just couldn’t see how that would work. The dishes just weren’t suitable.”

It was at this point she started discussing her plight with the business advisors at RG Strategic.

A new approach and a new offering

Principal Russell Green suggested that Jodi review what she wanted to do. If the menu didn’t work as takeaway, perhaps a different menu would.

“Our discussion really focused around what Emilia’s offering could be in light of the current situation,” Green said.

“The biggest challenge was to ensure the business innovated itself out of the trading halt,” Green continued. “And it needed to do so in a step-by-step approach to ensure the change is manageable”.

Giorno and RG Strategic determined that a new menu could work as a takeaway option but it needed to be developed considering old favourites and Emilia’s origins. It also needed to consider the sourcing and costs of produce and product, and of course preparation time and serving options.

“We even went as far as determining that the offering should have the least reliance on cutlery as possible,” Green said. “Emilia’s wanted an offering that people could pick up and eat on the run but was a step above the usual takeaway food options around”.

“We knew that just doing a limited takeaway on certain days wouldn’t be enough. Jodi not only wanted to ensure her café remained viable during this time, but she also wanted to try and ensure her staff were kept employed for the duration,” Green stated.

“As soon as the government announced the Jobkeeper packages I brought back all my permanent staff. I wanted them to be part of the discussions for how we could move forward,” Giorno said.

With the team in place, Giorno could now focus on formulating a strategy to continue to trade and ensure her staff retained employment.

“We came up with all sorts of ideas but we stuck with what we know best. So we developed a plan to supplement a new takeaway offering with take home pre-prepared meals and other products that has become our ‘Emilia’s a casa’ offering,” Giorno said.

RG Strategic also looked at how extra value could be added to Emilia’s business.

Changes to liquor licensing provided new opportunities

“RG Strategic helped us identify an opportunity to offer alcohol as well, and they helped us negotiate the liquor licensing laws and application process.”

Green made the suggestion when he realised the dishes on offer deserved to be paired with quality wine or beer.

“Having kept in touch with the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation I knew that they had seen a reduction in demand as well. This allowed me to navigate the process and get a liquor license for Emilia’s in just three weeks,” Green said.

“The relaxation in licensing the government has brought in allows more businesses like Emilia’s to offer alcoholic beverages that complement their takeaway menu,” Green said. “It just made sense,” he concluded.

Emilia’s reopened last Thursday (30 April) launching the new menu and offerings. Giorno has been delighted with the support of the local community.

“It’s remarkable,” she said. “To go from not knowing how we would be able to survive, to changing our offering and having it be such a success in such a short time is amazing and RG Strategic has been instrumental in that success.”

Being able to sit external to the day to day running of the café, RG Strategic was able to review the past, understand the passion and commitment, and offer a different perspective to a long-trading, traditional hospitality business.

“RG Strategic allowed my team and I to focus and take care of what we needed to do, while they considered the immediate, medium and ongoing strategies we would need and helping push through things that were outside our expertise,” Giorno said.

The post Café innovates to flourish in the COVID crisis appeared first on RG Strategic.

Several experts say could be up to four months away.

Queensland’s former chief health officer, Prof Gerry Fitzgerald is suggesting that hospitality businesses will need to wait another four months before being able to reopen.

Prof Fitzgerald, now a professor at QUT, believes that in 6 months most of the restrictions in place will have been eased with the exception of international travel, which he believes is 12 months away at least.

Restaurants, bars and cafés among the last to open to regular trade

The first restrictions to ease after the latest announcements by the State Government will be schools reopening and people returning to offices, Prof Fitzgerald stated. In three months he sees indoor and outdoor social distancing measures eased and in about four months the hospitality industry could see some restrictions eased but with social distancing still in place.

Professor Peter Collignon, a professor of microbiology at the Australian National University, concurs and sees bars and pubs not reopening until after winter.

The Federal Health Minister has also stated that pubs and bars won’t be returning soon: “Even when that decision is made, there may still be significant measures to maintain social distancing and to support good hygiene”.

How can you survive this crisis?

The key for hospitality businesses is to ensure they can weather this storm. Take advantage of every available item of support from the Federal Government, State Government, and your local council. Get the right advice to ensure you maximise the benefits you are entitled to. Continue to monitor your situation to see if you qualify for new supports or for supports you may not have qualified for before.

COVID-19 hospitality help and advice

• What’s next for restaurants in the post-Covid world?
• Help with Tourism, Hospitality and COVID-19 Legislation
• Noosa Council and COVID-19 Business Support

Think outside the box and pivot your offering

Look at ways to pivot or expand your offering for ongoing trade. This is easier for cafés and restaurants, whereas accommodation businesses will struggle.

Emilia’s Café in Gympie started by initially offering a comprehensive menu as a takeaway option. They are now about to launch ready-made pasta and gnocchi dishes and applied for and received a liquor license to ensure they could offer appropriate beverages as part of their take-home option as well.

Clouds Montville established their Clouds Gourmet Pantry as an offshoot to their café and restaurant. Through the Pantry they offer a comprehensive take-away menu and frozen take-home meals, as well as a selection of alcoholic beverages to take away as well.

The Ohana Kitchen and Event Co on the Sunshine Coast, renowned for their weddings, events, and catering, wanted to ensure that their pivot supported their existing providers and suppliers. They created The Crate Collective offering local and sustainable products in a crate. You can jump online and order one of their gourmet crates which includes a wonderful selection of ethically sourced products, wines, raw ingredients and recipes.

Plan now for life after COVID but don’t stop what you are doing

As cases continue to dwindle the call to reopen the economy from struggling businesses will grow louder and louder. We must, however, remember that if we do reopen too soon, we could end up back where we started, or worse.

All levels of government must be as transparent as possible with regards to their upcoming plans to reopen the economy – and their advice must be clear and unequivocal. Businesses cannot be left to guess as to what a change in restrictions means. We are at a critical point in this crisis and if we have learnt anything from the past it’s that we can’t leave this to guesswork. The people and businesses that drive our local economies deserve better.

It is a difficult time but the best thing to do now is to figure out what you can offer now and then wait and plan for how your business will be able to relaunch successfully when restrictions are finally eased.

If you are looking to pivot during this crisis, talk to RG Strategic for strategy, liquor licensing and town planning advice.

The post When can my hospitality business reopen? appeared first on RG Strategic.

It appears that bars and restaurants will be among the last business to open fully but, as pointed out by Phil Lempert in a recent Forbes article, the way restaurants open may look very different to how they operated before COVID-19 closures.

Many businesses have taken an entrepreneurial approach to address the reduction in normal trade. Our friends at Sum Yung Guys have been cooking up and offering their curry sauces for sale through a number of shopfronts in the Noosa and Sunshine Coast areas. Takeaway was not an option for them as their dishes need to be enjoyed fresh from the kitchen (did anyone say Roti?) but others have made the move successfully to takeaway, and interestingly, offering additional lines outside of their traditional offerings as part of their pick-up or takeaway service.

In the linked article,  Lempert argues that as restaurants are allowed to reopen it will be with restrictions and limitations in terms of capacity in each venue eg reduced tables to increase distancing and other factors. This is a perfect opportunity to use some of that new space to offer retailing for products that complement the restaurants service offering – an ability to upsell.

Have a read through the article and check out Lempert’s discussion. It may prompt some ideas you can implement or opportunities to take advantage of.

Who knows, Sum Yung Guys may end up providing their curry sauces as a permanent offering from their restaurant?

If you’d like to discuss your next move in the hospitality world, talk to RG Strategic today about town planning and development applications, liquor licensing and food premises and get “ahead of the curve”.

The post What’s next for restaurants in the post-Covid world? appeared first on RG Strategic.

At RG Strategic we always use the services of Sajen Legal when we are seeking this advice, they have specific insight particularly around leases, contracts and protection of you valuable assets both physical and intellectual.

Sajen Legal is currently offering obligation free consultations for businesses affected by the new pandemic legislation. These consultations are both informative and reassuring in letting you know you do have options and will cover topics like:

• How to scale down operations or even close temporarily
• Safely lay off staff where necessary
• Provide binding arrangements with creditors while maintaining control of the business

But most importantly, it provides an opportunity for operators and business owners to regroup.  Arrange affairs in an orderly fashion without the immediate threat and pressures of creditors.

Seeking the best possible advice during a time of uncertainty is paramount in understanding that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, and by making the correct choices the unfortunate impacts may be lessened if not mitigated.

For more information about the services offered by Sajen Legal click here.

For more assistance with your strategic approach to the COVID-19 industry crisis, contact RG Strategic today.

The post Help with Tourism, Hospitality and COVID-19 Legislation appeared first on RG Strategic.