QHA_Sep-2020_Online

TRUE GRIT SPIRIT
QHA REVIEW | 44
There is a saying about breeding them tough in
Queensland, and this pandemic has definitely
proven just how tough Queenslanders are. Barry
Fitzgibbons, director of Fitzgibbons Hotels & Leisure
Group is one of those resilient hoteliers. His newlook
Robina Tavern had just opened in March to
customers eager to check out the new renovation,
when government restrictions surrounding the
Covid-19 pandemic forced the hotel to close.
“We were likely opened at about 80 percent
when Covid hit, and so we were able to have a
very successful soft opening, as we call it. But
unfortunately we never had the official opening,”
Barry said.
“When we did open though it was very popular, very
successful and we were extremely happy with it. All
areas were booming; the gaming, the bars, the food,
it was just phenomenal.
“And then all of a sudden on March 23, it all shut
down.”
Thankfully with the recent experience of operating
the business through renovations, the business
continued to trade by way of an affordable takeaway
menu to keep the local patrons happy and some
staff employed.
“When Covid hit, we did a cheaper takeaway menu
that was well received and well patronised, and then
when we were allowed to open in these restricted
ways, we have been absolutely hammered. At one
stage I think we were booked out about five weeks in
advance for what we were allowed to accept,” Barry
said.
The demand was attributed to the striking renovation
that took place to the venue which saw the hotel
expand its space to accommodate up to 800 people
at full capacity taking advantage of the beautiful
lakefront.
Similarly, in Toowoomba, husband and wife team
Kosta and Jasmine Theodosis purchased a rundown
hotel in October last year and went straight
to work on renovations which continued through to
March. The pair had anticipated a grand opening
when their plans came to an abrupt halt.
“It was disheartening to say the least, after putting
so much heart and soul into the hotel, we literally put
everything we had into it physically, emotionally and
financially,” Kosta said.
“It was just sad to be honest, but we’re not ones to
dwell, so we just set to work on how we could come
back stronger and better. We love our team that we
put together and were so happy with how things
This page: Robina Pavillion, Robina
Opposite page: The Met, Toowoomba