The COVID-19 crisis and the associated social measures have hit Illawarra pubs and clubs especially hard.
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Some like the Cabbage Tree Hotel have had to change their business model just to survive.
But hotel owner Brad Young has been buoyed by the support of the community and competitors alike during this difficult time.
He nevertheless has welcomed the latest lifeline for local clubs and pubs in their hour of need.
Carlton & United Breweries and the Australian Hotels Association have teamed up to help Wollongong pubs and clubs survive the coronavirus crisis.
For the Love of Your Local campaign is calling on Wollongong locals to visit https://loveofyourlocal.com.au then nominate their participating local and buy a pint of Great Northern Super Crisp. The cash goes to the venue immediately.
People get 2 for 1 pints when their local re-opens.
"This kind of initiative will still garner community support, put some money in the bank accounts of people who need it who then can in turn continue to employ people which will make it easier to reopen once the shackles are taken off," Mr Young said.
"Hopefully we get a bit of community support, not just us but everyone in the surrounds. The locals supporting their local, it is a true blue Australian theme isn't it."
He added getting an injection of funds like this now will help Cabbage Tree bounce back when the ban is lifted.
Mr Young said fortunately they were still able to operate in some capacity with takeaway food which helped them keep at least some of their staff employed for a while.
"We've gone from basically an on-premise operation to delivering food and beverage," he said. "We are doing up to 600 meals a day now including take away and pick-ups but we started doing it just to give the kids a job and it has kind of snowballed.
"Our hotel might be down right now, but if our customers rally, we're not out!"
The coronavirus crisis has left Australia's $20 billion+ pub and club industry reeling. More than 10,000 venues, which employ many of the nation's one million hospitality employees, have been forced to call last drinks for now.
But Mr Young has faith initiatives like this and locals supporting locals will see individuals and businesses alike not only survive but thrive.
"The support we've had from our customers and fellow pubs and clubs really warms the heart. By banding together we will all come out of this a lot better," he said.
Mr Young always had belief things would turn for the better but was heartened early on in the crisis by the generosity of a competitor, in well-known Wollongong burger joint His Boy Elroy.
"I think it was a Friday afternoon when we had probably 150 orders in the system and basically nothing to put them on as we had run out of takeaway containers," he said.
"His Boy Elroy called me at about 4.30pm in the afternoon and says swing by on your way through and I'll have a box [200 containers] for you ready to go. Nothing beats that. It is just a true blue Aussie tradition of mates helping out mates.
"We just got to find a way of being kinder to each other and I'm sure we'll get through this."
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