Perth pubs prepare Christmas feasts amid ‘antiquated’ liquor licensing regulations

Many Perth families are choosing to leave the cooking — and dirty dishes — to others on December 25 this year and enjoy Christmas lunch at their local pub.

And this could be the last Christmas when venues are forced to serve alcoholic beverages only with a meal.

The Australian Hotels Association is lobbying both major parties in the lead-up to next year’s State election to consider changes to the “antiquated” Liquor Licensing Act that requires drinks to be served ancillary to a meal on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

AHA WA boss Bradley Woods said with more pubs, bars and hotels opening to serve Christmas lunch and dinner, venues and consumers wanted more flexibility on December 25.

“It’s an issue that has long been on our agenda to see venues meet community needs and demands,” he told The Sunday Times.

Mr Woods said while only a “smattering” of venues would open on Christmas Day a decade ago, there was now significant demand from patrons wanting to avoid spending half the day in a hot kitchen preparing a roast.

With tourism expenditure in WA at an all-time high of around $18 billion a year, the hotels chief said more interstate and overseas visitors than ever were keen to go out for a drink on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

“(The current regulations are) putting an unnecessary restriction on a couple of days of the year,” Mr Woods said.

He said community expectations had changed in the past decade.

“People who want to go to church, or celebrate in a religious manner, on Christmas Day are doing that, and . . . there’s no limitations on that,” Mr Woods said.

“We want to seek reform from both sides of the political divide, that they will support an ongoing process of red-tape reduction and reform of some of the restrictions that are somewhat antiquated.

“We’re well beyond the community having this expectation that adults not do anything on Christmas Day other than attend church and do traditional family get-togethers.”

The Guildford Hotel is among the many Perth pubs planning to serve festive packages offering multi-course feasts and free-flowing drinks on Christmas Day.

Senior operations manager Katie Reeves said the annual event grew bigger each year, with the historic pub expecting more than 400 diners this year.

While most customers were happy to have alcoholic beverages with food on Christmas Day, she said the rules should be relaxed on Good Friday.

The Stories hospitality precinct, which launched earlier this year at the redeveloped Yagan Square, will not open for business on December 25.

Ross Drennan, co-director of Stories owner Nokturnl, said the group had decided to give hard-working staff a day off to spend with family and friends.

“Christmas is a tough decision for us,” he said. “We feel like there is probably demand there, particularly in the restaurants, to host long lunches.”

Mr Drennan said the added cost of staffing because of public holiday penalty rates was “a consideration but not a determining factor” for the decision not to open on Christmas Day.

However, he supports scrapping the current rule allowing alcohol to be served only with meals on December 25 and Good Friday.

“The public don’t understand the reasoning behind it, and as such it just creates frustration,” Mr Drennan said.

“This frustration is then borne by staff working in hospitality who must constantly try and defend these rules.”

The hospitality operator expects the licensing regulations to change before Good Friday next year, which falls on April 18.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH IS ON THEM

On December 25, leave the hard work and dirty dishes to the teams at these Perth pubs. Make sure you book in advance for your big pub feed this Christmas.

THE GUILDFORD HOTEL

Indulge in the Guildford Hotel’s famous Christmas Day feast. The pub offers three courses, and a two-hour beverage package across two sessions (midday-2pm and 4pm-6pm). The cost for adults is $180 per person, for children under 12 it is $65 each, and it’s free for children under three.

THE CLAREMONT HOTEL

Take the stress out of planning and enjoy the ultimate Christmas Day feast featuring two hours of drinks, share-style lunch, seafood, salad and charcuterie station, and a dessert bar with a chocolate fountain. This decadent banquet costs $230 for adults (with a no-alcohol package for $160), and it costs $160 for teens, $70 for children, and is free for infants. There are two seatings available: midday-2pm, and 3pm-5pm.

THE VICTORIA PARK HOTEL

The Vic is putting on a mouthwatering Christmas buffet on December 25 with two hours of wine, beers, bubbles and softies for $159 per person. Diners can upgrade with an arrival bottle of bubbles. The cost for children aged 12 and under is $59 each. Two-hour seatings are available at midday and 3pm.

BLASTA COLLECTIVE

The popular Burswood brewery offers a sumptuous three-course meal starring seasonal local produce and three hours of free-flowing beverages from midday-3pm on Christmas Day. First-release tickets are on sale now for $175 per person.

THE BASSENDEAN HOTEL

The beloved Basso dishes up three courses of delicious shared plates for $165 per person, which includes two hours of wine, beer, bubbles and softies. Children aged 12 and under can chow down for $60, while those under four eat for free. There are two sessions: midday-2pm, and 3pm-5pm.

MARKET GROUNDS

Celebrate Chrissy in style at the award-winning inner-city pub. The three-course set menu with three hours of free-flowing festival cocktails, bubbles, house wines, tap beers and cider runs from midday and costs $180 per person (or less for those too young to drink).

QUEENS TAVERN

The Beaufort Street stalwart marks Christmas with a three-course a la carte menu plus canapes on arrival. Choose from three entrees (including a chilled prawn cocktail), four mains (featuring traditional ham and turkey) and three desserts for $130 per person with pay-as-you-go beverages from the bar. There’s also a $35 mini set menu for children.

SWEETWATER ROOFTOP BAR

Join Sweetwater for the ultimate Christmas Day with breathtaking views of Fremantle. For $195 per person, indulge in a three-course banquet and two hours of free-flowing bubbles, wines, tap beers and ciders. Non-drinkers can enjoy non-alcoholic wines, beers and mocktails. The cost for under-16s, $35 per person with the choice of a main meal and a soft drink. Sessions are available for midday-2pm, 1pm-3pm, and 2pm-4pm.

THE GLOBE

The crew at this city institution dust off their Santa hats to serve up a three-course family-style feast featuring shared plates, a “main event”, and a festive dessert grazing table to finish. There’s also a two-hour beverage offer including house wines, beers and soft drinks across two sessions, starting at midday or 4pm. The cost is $160 per adult or $60 per child under 12, with children under three eating for free.

THE GALWAY HOOKER

Forget White Christmas, and start dreaming of Christmas by the beach with a cold Guinness in hand. Head to the beachside Irish pub in Scarborough for a three-course nosh-up starring turkey and other festive favourites plus two hours of drinks. The cost is $170 for adults, $80 for children aged 17 and under, and free for children under three. Sessions are available from midday-2pm and 4pm-6pm.

THE WOODBRIDGE HOTEL

The Woody gets into the Christmas spirit with a three-course lunch from midday for $69 per person (or $55 for seniors), plus a two-hour drinks package for $40 per person.

COBBLERS TAVERN

Head down the Old Coast Road to Cobblers in Falcon for a traditional roast dinner, the centrepiece of this pub’s Christmas Day feast costing $149 per person. That price includes a two-hour drinks package of house wines, selected tap beers and soft drinks. Children aged 17 and under can enjoy the tucker for $49 per person, under-11s for $39, and those aged for and under for $15.

THE QUARTER ACRE

This Applecross pub offers a three-course feast plus two hours of free-flowing beverages from midday for $149 per person or $80 for non-drinkers and teenagers. The cost for children under 12 is $60 per person, while kids under three eat free.

THE RAFFLES HOTEL

The historic waterfront hotel celebrates Christmas Day with a festive three-course set menu lunch paired with two hours of drinks for $160 per adult, $50 per child (aged 5-12) and free for kids aged four and under.