With bars closed to all but takeaways and deliveries one Wollongong attraction has come up with an innovative way of providing a cocktail escape.
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The idea has come from those behind the Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms in Crown Street.
Co-owner Colin Bloomfield said Breakout's bar staff have come up with a way to bottle the cocktails they make so they can be delivered or taken away.
That can be done directly by contacting Breakout.Bar and Escape Rooms who have staff on the JobKeeper scheme doing home delvieries.
Or by ordering a burger and a cocktail from His Boy Elroy and taking it away or having it delivered from there.
Mr Bloomfield said the cocktails were accounting for up to 10 per cent of what would be normal revenue and was helping keep the business afloat while it is unable to host people in its escape rooms or bar.
"With JobKeeper we have been able to keep six employees paid," he said.
"We are presently doing deliveries three to four days a week.
"And my son Mitchell has worked out a deal with Lachlan Stevens at His Boy Elroy that we can supply the 250mm bottles through them for when people order a burger and also want a cocktail.
"We are just a couple of small businesses trying to do what we can to help each other out at this difficult time.
"Lachlan and Selena Stevens were looking for a cocktail option to compliment what they do so this arrangement has worked out quite well".
Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms has come up with seven cocktails it is pre making for the bottles.
"A lot of our handcrafted cocktails are hard to replicate so this is away people can drink them in the home environment," Mr Bloomfield said.
"We deliver them with a garnish and some instructions on how best to enjoy them".
Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms manager Mitchell Bloomfield said the best way for people to order the cocktails is to go to the website.
It will then redirect them to to the purchasing/info page.
"Currently we are delivering from Albion Park to Woonona for free and as far south as Kiama and up to Stanwell Park for a fee," he said.
The Illawarra Mercury has launched a Taking Care of Business campaign.
Each day we will highlight a local business who is adapting or evolving to be able to keep operating under these trying times.
If you know of a business adapting, please send us an email titled Taking Care of Business to gellis@illawarramercury.com.au.
We have also put a call out and will run a list of cafes, restaurants and clubs who are offering takeaway or delivery on our Facebook page. If you know of an outlet now offering home delivery or takeaway, please let us know and add it to the list.
Read more:
- More mobile drive-thru food trailers start rolling out in the Illawarra from restaurants closed by COVID-19 restrictions
- Barstool Blokes becomes even more important with COVID-19
- Drive-thru food trucks are providing restaurant hot meals close to home and creating employment
- Liquor and Gaming Authority allows Grill'd to deliver beer or wine with meals
- Wollongong-founded COVID-19 Facebook foodie group 'Illawarra Menus' racks up 20,000 followers in six days
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
