Exclusive new meal draws masses to regional town hotel

ONE delicious meal has been the key to success this month at the Hotel Victory at Cecil Plains, according to manager Tegan Linwood.

A delicious plate of grilled barramundi cooked in butter, lemon and chilli flakes topped with prawns drew crowds from all over the south west during the carnival month, thanks to an initiative from the Toowoomba Regional Council.

The #trEATS campaign kicked off its second year on September 1, which encouraged regional hospitality business owners to create an exclusive meal available this month.

The aim was to draw people into regional eateries, and Ms Linwood said it did just that.

“We just thought it was something nice and fresh and different to something we offer on our menu already,” she said.

“We were hoping it was going to bring a few new people in as well as excite a few regulars who were looking for something different.”

Ms Linwood said their team estimated they sold 70-80 serves of the delicious meal over the first few weeks of the Carnival of Flowers, with the initiative continuing until September 30.

Ms Linwood said the extra foot traffic from outside their home in Cecil Plains was something they missed during the pandemic and lockdown mandates, so it was rewarding to see people from all over make the trip to their humble hotel.

The Carnival of “Flowers #trEATS campaign continues until the end of the month.