THE THOUGHT of beer taps running dry over Tamworth Country Music Festival is a publican’s worst nightmare.
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Just three days out to the festival, hundreds of kegs are being dropped to the doorsteps of local watering holes.
For veterans it’s a well-oiled machine, for those with new management like The Albert Hotel and Imperial Brewhouse, the first festival is a gamble.
At the Albert, 15 kegs will usually do for the week, owner Fraser Haughton said.
“We’ve ordered 120 to 130 for half the week – that’s 200 extra kegs for the ten days,” he said.
“The nice thing about the old pubs is that it’s a bit nostalgic for a lot of people - the same people come back every year to the pubs they like.
“When you buy a pub you inherit what’s been happening there, The Albert is a well-established live entertainment venue and our job is to ramp that up."
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Down the road at The Post Office Hotel, it’s owner Andrew Coutts’ eighth festival.
He’s had to triple his staff to accommodate the influx of patrons over the ten day period.
“Through the hotel there’s 1000 people plus easily on the bigger days, especially with Australia Day falling on Saturday that will be huge,” he said.
He’s even had to rent out an extra room in the arcade adjoining the pub to house all of his extra kegs.
“It’s all about organisation, if you haven’t got the preparation you’ll find yourself falling short – it’s months in planning and then physically two to three weeks working scaling things down and staging, sound, decorations, preparation is the biggest key,” he said.
With a number of new venues like The Welders Dog and The Press in town offering craft beer and cocktails, pubs in Tamworth have faced a more competitive market.
A few blocks up, a fresh lick of white paint on the outside of the Imperial Brewhouse is an indication there’s more exciting changes being made inside.
Now owned by Michael Foxman, the pub has grown from just a nightclub to include an Italian restaurant, the Red Door Cafe and Nomad craft beer bar upstairs.
Manager Mike Vee is expecting a huge crowd over festival with 300 kegs being delivered in the next few days and live entertainment in the three bars.
“The change of the Imperial crowd is really starting to happen now and people are starting to utilise other parts of the pub,” he said.
“Last year because it was closed before the festival the numbers were down a little, but now that local people are supporting the venue we expect a big crowd.”
Tamworth Country Music Festival runs from January 18 to 27 and more than 300,000 visitors are expected to come through town.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
