RQYS Mainsheet 2021

Hospitality Manager

REPORTS

HOSPITALITY MANAGER

REPORTS

The past 12 months have been “a transformational year,” notes Beth Kucks, after the brutal impacts of the pandemic’s first year—the ‘annus horribilis’ that was 2020—“the hospitality industry landscape, not just for RQYS, has changed so much, and at last for the better.”

“In a way, COVID took away our ‘pulse’ in 2020,” Beth recalls, “but we have really kick-started things as 2021 has matured and we’re not shying away any more: in our new COVID world we’re going to be brave, strong and make it work – because we have to.” With the repeated hammering of different lockdowns and social restrictions, Beth says that “it did feel like we had somehow ‘lost touch’ with some of our people” but the flip side of COVID – even if it took some months to manifest – is that RQYS is well on the way to making reconnections. “It has shown the strength of our local community, which really rallied around us to support the Squadron –almost a feeling of getting people to ‘come back home’ after what’s been a really difficult period for so many.” On Opening Day of the 137th Season, said Beth, “we started to feel ‘reborn’ with more than three times the number of members, guests and invited visitors than we had in 2020.” Among the many lingering operational and logistical impacts on the RQYS hospitality and entertainment program, foremost has been the miscellany of border closures and travel, testing and quarntine requirements and restrictions, making it nigh impossible to book any intra- and inter-state touring artists. “Our mindset for 2022 is ‘being brave’ and backing our club to recreate a lively space for our members,” says Beth, “and we have a solid calendar planned for the New Year, with lots of inbuilt flexibility, now we’ve had plenty of practise adapting at short notice to any COVID developments and tailor an agile response.”

It wouldn’t do to ‘tempt Murphy’ or jinx the program by revealing the full 12 months in advance; suffice to say that a sneak peek reveals plenty of new temptations beyond ‘default’ occasions such as Squadron sailing and powerboating events and public holidays, St Patrick’s Day and Melbourne Cup. “We’ve developed a range of monthly events on a different Sunday each month—planned to fit nicely around commitments like Easter and school holidays—with live music,” hints Beth, “and members and guests may be able to kick back and chill with some smooth R&B and jazz afernoons and evenings. “We’re also planning on powering-up our social media presence and connections even more—’Spikey Mike’ Middleton is doing a fantastic job of getting our Facebook numbers through the roof with events afloat and our Instagram account will be focusing on doing the same with our program ashore. Mike’s incredible videos on the big screens are holding visitors spellbound and are all the talk of the increased patronage in our bar and cafe,” Beth says. “Our intention is to replicate that achievement with our land-based events and activities via Instagram, and we’re integrating member communications even more tightly across the weekly ‘In The Wind’ eNews, our LED sign and other channels, including local Bayside promotional efforts and collaborations. Watch these spaces!”

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Mainsheet 2021

12

rqys.com.au

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