Australian bars see revenue jump in December

Lightspeed is reporting that revenue for December for Australian restaurants, cafes, and bars was the highest since pre-pandemic.

The POS and e-commerce software provider says that revenue for Australian bars in December jumped almost 18 per cent from November and was up 20 per cent when compared to the same time last year.

Peter Dougherty, General Manager, Hospitality at Lightspeed (pictured right) said, “Aussies were out in force in December to support their favourite bars, restaurants and cafes. It caps a year of sustained success for an industry that has faced immense challenges during the last three years.

“Amongst over 10,000 local venues using Lightspeed, December represented the highest average monthly revenue since January 2020.”

Shayne Dixon of Collingwood’s craft beer bar and delivery service, Beermash, says his business reaped the rewards of a vibrant community, good weather and an improved customer service platform.

He said:  "Last year was a pretty good year for us, particularly in December due to a number of factors. Revenue grew due to the number of customers looking to spend time outside of their homes. The combination of the favourable weather and the state government’s initiative to allow parklets played a role too.

"Having a nice outdoor drinking space has positively impacted our sales, increasing revenue and boosting our capacity. Working with Lightspeed was also instrumental. Its integration with Shopify made our lives easier – having a seamless and efficient system is crucial for a high-volume bar like ours. “

Meanwhile, NSW's Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said his government is committed to building vibrant, diverse, inclusive and safe 24-hour economies across Greater Sydney and regional NSW.

“We have introduced a raft of programs and initiatives to support the hospitality industry including extending our temporary alfresco dining measures until the end of the year, and allowing hotels and clubs to keep their doors open for longer for special events," he said.

“Since our outdoor dining initiative started in 2020, more than 700 licensed restaurants, pubs, cafes and small bars have been accessing fast-tracked, simplified approvals to extend their liquor licence boundaries to include new outdoor dining spaces."