Northern Rivers venues tapped into vibrancy reforms

LICENSED venues across the Northern Rivers have been visited by Liquor & Gaming NSW’s Hospitality Concierge team as part of a regional push to support safer trading and more vibrant night-time economies.

The regional visits were designed to engage directly with local owners and operators, providing guidance and answering questions around liquor licensing and gaming compliance, while also highlighting changes under the NSW Government’s Vibrancy Reforms.

The visits also promoted the free Hospitality Concierge support service available to hospitality operators across NSW.

Over a two-day tour, the Hospitality Concierge met with licensees and staff at nine pubs and clubs across Bonalbo, Kyogle, Uki and Murwillumbah.

The team outlined incentives for hosting live music, along with options for venues to expand their offerings or reduce liquor licence fees.

Liquor & Gaming NSW director regulatory excellence Melanie Brown said the outreach visits provided an opportunity to keep regional businesses informed and help them take advantage of recent reforms.

“Liquor & Gaming NSW is committed to supporting licensed venues to ensure they have the information and resources they need to grow and thrive and can operate safely and responsibly,” Brown said.

At The Imperial Hotel in Murwillumbah, bar manager Joe Westwood said the visit led to practical discussions about venue operations and ways regulation could better support activity in town centres.

“It was a chance to have practical, open conversations about how venues operate day-to-day, and how regulation can better support activation rather than hinder it,” Westwood said.

He said the discussions were later reinforced through ideas explored at the Regional Night-Time Economy Bootcamp, including a concept known as “Scoops & Schooners”.

The idea links family-friendly activity with neighbouring business Gelato & Co, encouraging parents and children to spend time in the Murwillumbah town centre during the early evening.

“The “Scoops & Schooners” idea actually came up at the Regional Night-Time Economy Bootcamp from another participant who described it as something they already do on Fridays: after-school catch-ups where kids grab a gelato from Gelato & Co., and parents pop in for a schooner,” Westwood said.

“What stood out in that discussion was that this behaviour already exists locally. It doesn’t need reinventing, just better support and visibility.

“For us, it’s about leaning into that early evening window and making it more intentional.”

Westwood said collaboration between neighbouring businesses was important in helping create a more connected main street experience.

“In places like Murwillumbah, many businesses still operate on reduced hours or stay closed on weekends, which is when most visitors are in town and ready to spend,” he said.

He said when venues and surrounding traders aligned their offerings, it helped build a stronger sense of activity through town centres during key trading periods.

“For us, it’s about helping build that consistency, so the main street feels active and connected when it matters most, especially on weekends,” he said.

Westwood said the Hospitality Concierge visit reinforced the role regional pubs and hospitality venues play in community life and local economies.

“It reinforced a bigger picture point: regional pubs and hospitality venues play a key role in community life and local economies,” he said.

“Overall, it increased confidence that industry and government are increasingly aligned on supporting more active, collaborative night-time economies in regional towns.”