The Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA) will not take place this year, organisers have announced.
Food & Beverage Media, publisher of National Liquor News, The Shout, Australian Hotelier and Bars and Clubs, was due to host the 27th ALIA on 21 October but due to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic the event will now be shelved for a year.
Paul Wootton, Group Publisher at Food & Beverage Media, said: “This decision won’t come as a great surprise. Event restrictions remain in place, travel bans would prevent many interstate visitors from attending, and right now areas synonymous with hospitality excellence are in lockdown.
“With many businesses forced to shut or operating under restricted capacities, it seems unfair and incongruous to single out winners this year anyway. Not to mention inappropriate to be planning a night of celebration when so many in the industry are hurting.
“Like everyone else, we’re looking to the future, to better times, when businesses right across the country can get back to something approaching normal. When that happens, ALIA will return. We hope to soon start laying the foundations for an epic ALIA 2021.”
Pub Leaders Summit (PLS), however, will go ahead this year. Originally scheduled for March, it was postponed due to COVID-19 and will now take place on 23 November 2020 at Doltone House, Sydney.
“Our pub conference is a different type of event to ALIA,” said Wootton. “Running the Summit this year will enable publicans to come together, discuss best practice, share war stories and listen to advice on how to navigate the pandemic. We hope it will help the sector.”
PLS is also hugely relevant to bar owners, operators and managers, as it will discuss a whole range of issues regarding the Australia on-premise category. Tickets go on sale soon.
Wootton added there were several sponsorship opportunities for the Summit still available. “If you’re keen to support the pub industry, get in touch. Any extra sponsor revenue we generate now we’ll use to subsidise tickets for publicans and their staff so that even those hardest hit by COVID-19 can attend.”
Sponsorship enquiries should be addressed to Jason Wild: jwild@intermedia.com.au or 0416 576 256.
