SMALL CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

SMALL bars, eclectic food hubs and secret haunts are becoming a trademark of the Gold Coast’s blossoming, and potentially lucrative, new image.

Leaders of the city’s hospitality scene want to see an explosion of small bars and niche hot spots to build on the depth offered by the Coast’s maturing nightlife.

The fourth Gold Coast venue with a small bar licence will open in Burleigh soon, fuelling hopes boutique watering holes that have proven wildly successful in Brisbane will flourish here too.

A walk through the now-buzzing streets near Southbank on a Saturday night is a testament to the way punters are driving demand for something more than large, cookie-cutter clubs, pubs and chain restaurants.

Young people aren’t spending their leisure time and money the way they used to — the lure of binge drinking is waning, and a new refined, health-conscious generation are choosing quality over quantity when it comes to food and drink.

The industry is headed in the right direction but they must grapple with forces beyond their control, like rising wages and government regulation.