17 Nov 2013
Words Tim Admin

Game on with pub entertainment

Although the ‘big end of town’ is out there hunting to buy up every gaming venue they can lay their hands on – which, in turn, is putting many of those venues out of the financial reach of traditional ‘mum and dad’ publicans – the non-gaming venue is fighting back, and capturing its fair share of the public’s hard-earned.How are they doing this? In many ways, it has to be said. In Tassie’s capital city of Hobart, I am amazed at the number of venues, particularly out toward the northern suburbs, whose fight-back is spearheaded by offering live entertainment. Live attractions Some of these venues have a live band, duo or soloist seven nights a week. And I am not talking about the style of local musician who might busk in the mall during the day, offering a few songs in the hope of collecting coins from appreciative passers by.The standard of these artists is usually top quality, including local acts and popular bands from the mainland, many of which are current recording artists.In Launceston and along the NORTH WEST COAST, ie. Devonport, Ulverstone, Burnie, towns in between and further along, pubs are offering great variety and choice – local and interstate artists, bands and comedians included. I have even seen poetry reading as a drawcard for selected audiences.In all the major cities, you’ll find one or more hotel offering jazz appreciation nights, folk nights, gigs by soon to be forgotten Australian Idol contestants and talented comedians. A well known local hotel in Launceston offers music hall and melodramas on a regular basis, as does another in Hobart. Local repertory companies offer similar fare in country and seaside towns. Cuisine courts favour The other major drawcard adopted by those the hotel industry who do not have pokies is of course food. I would need another 10 pages to cover the abundance of choices throughout the state. But to whet your appetite we have the well supported Pizza Pub (now renamed) with its eat in dining and delivery service, hotels that offer classic pub food in a family atmosphere, and those that cater for the customers who prefer to be able to enjoy conversation in an atmosphere where you can actually hear yourself talk.‘Theme pubs’ offer everything from Italian to Irish and British cuisine and drinks, and of course many hotels specialise in food styles – steaks, seafood, pasta and every other gastronomic delight.Many hotels across the state have reinvented themselves as not just a licensed pub, but renovated and redecorated, choosing to go down the ‘chic city café’ style path, many introducing décor that evokes the boulevards of Europe, New York and Melbourne right here in our Island State. The traditional ‘pub on the corner’ has changed for the better and looks certain to be in an exciting future. And I haven’t even started on the popularity of trivia nights and other competition events.