Surfers Paradise social scene influx

THE Surfers Paradise marketing boss is warning hospitality operators to revamp or die as a megabucks flood of investment gives the social scene a refreshing facelift.

Central Surfers Paradise is benefiting from tens of millions worth of new watering holes and revamps of existing ones in a major transformation of the tourism precinct.

Despite a rash of recent venue closures in other city hubs, Surfers Paradise is thriving with new and improved options for patrons.

Among new hot spots coming soon are:

● White Rhino, a $3 million two-level bar and restaurant being built at a huge Circle on Cavill site.

● Taboo Tiki, a new tropical themed, laneway bar with tapas down Orchid Ave by Broadbeach’s Aloha co-owners Tim Glasson and Gavin McDougal.

● The Tipsy Pig, a craft beer, whiskey and cocktail bar under construction on Orchid Ave.

Surfers Paradise institution of 30-plus years the Avenue kicked off the resurgence with a $3 million relocation in mid-2016 before more recent revamps of Bob Ell’s nightclub institution Melba’s and the Esplanade’s beachfront Sandbar.

Orchid Ave success story House of Brews is getting a spruce-up in November, with co-owner Sacha Kanaghines saying it was due three years after the launch.

Mr Kanaghines said he welcomed the new and revamped venues including those nearby.

“I think Surfers is underserved. There are so many people coming in here now and not enough variety.

“The 1980s was all right but by the 1990s it was underdone and then in the 2000s Tedder Avenue and Broadbeach kicked off,” he said.

“Now people are coming back to Surfers Paradise. It’s very do-able in Surfers, not super expensive like Sydney or Melbourne.”

Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mike Winlaw said recent widespread reinvestment in hospitality was paying off with people returning to the precinct.

“We need to raise the bar when we have competition right across southeast Queensland. It is about attracting tourism and visitation. If you are just operating the equivalent of a local pub then why would I go – because I can do that anywhere.

“You need to raise the bar to an international standard and have experiences you can’t get elsewhere,” Mr Winlaw said. “If you just do a simple refurbishment and you’re changing the colour of the decor, it’s not going to cut it.”

Hollywood Showgirls strip club owner Craig Duffy is getting in on the small laneway bar action with his proposed Tipsy Pig, near Taboo Tiki.

Mr Duffy is fitting out a ground-floor site underneath Hollywood and also leasing out nearby space for Taboo Tiki. “I’ve been very forthcoming in assisting them with Taboo because while it’s great for me, it’s going to be great for Surfers Paradise.

“It’s great to see after the Commonwealth Games flop, which was very real.”