A family friendly focus

Gloucester's Roundabout Inn is in the running for a prestigious Australian Hotels Association (NSW) Award for Excellence.

The hotel is a finalist in the Best Family Friendly Hotel category with the winners to be announced on November 25.

Hotel owner Adrian Carruthers said it was the first time the hotel had entered the awards.

“We wanted to get things fixed and tidied up, like the kids’ playground, before we entered,” he said.

Mr Carruthers said the hotel industry had undergone significant changes in the past decade.

Adrian Carruthers with hotel manager Dion Allan.

“We’ve got a broad audience. The ages of our clientele range from five to 85. What we find funny is that kids are now saying ‘we want to go to the pub’ when their parents ask them where they’d like to go out,” he said.

“We’ve steered away from that traditional pub market of beer, smokes and pokies. The market has moved to be family friendly and food focused.”

The Roundabout has worked hard to introduce new family-friendly initiatives through its restaurant menu and the other services it provides.

“We sell coffee, we’ve got the chocolate machine and the kids’ games and we’ve got a private function area,” Mr Carruthers said.

“Our market has broadened. Hotels are now easier to manage. There are fewer issues, less staffing fluctuations and generally it’s a much more pleasant environment.”

Source: Gloucester Advocate, 19 November 2013