PUBS and clubs have been in the cross-hairs of the Government's COVID-19 crackdown - but that just convinced a publican on the NSW Mid North Coast to think outside of the beer crate.
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Troy de Luca, the licensee at the Seabreeze Beach Hotel at South West Rocks, has innovated by turning the seaside establishment into a convenience store.
While the bottle shop is permitted to continue trade almost as per normal, Troy went looking for more.
The upshot is that nestled on the shelves alongside beer, wine and spirits, are carrots, fresh bread, meat and even coveted toilet paper.
"We've been partnering with our existing suppliers Pick of the Crop for fruit and veg, and getting bread from the bakery down the road," Troy told the Macleay Argus.
"We've got things like pizza bases, and from Milly Hill (a local butcher) we have everything from hamburger patties through to lamb sausages.
"The reaction from the public has been mostly positive. Locals like the convenience if they just want to grab a few things without having to go into one of the big supermarkets.
"And the tradies are loving it. They can come in here after work and get a long neck and a roll of toilet paper."
The innovation is helping the pub to retain full-time workers, though the casuals have had to be let go during the challenging business environment.
Troy is now keen to add to the 'left field' range at the hotel - "if there's any local candle makers out there or people who make home made chutney they can get in contact".
The Seabreeze is part of the W Short Hotels Group, which has hotels in places such as Redfern, Leichhardt, Coffs Harbour, and Kempsey.
"We've transformed five of our local pub bottle shops in Redfern, Leichhardt, South West Rocks, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour into local convenience stores overnight," Marty Short, publican at W Short Hospitality Group, said.
"We're a family-run business and I want to save our staff, save the pub, and continue as a hub within the community.
"For now, we just want the local communities to come in, buy local, and support their local pubs to keep us around for when this is over."