Activating Loddon’s outdoor hospitality offerings

Published on 16 December 2020

Loddon Shire Council is working with 17 local hospitality businesses to activate outdoor dining and entertainment offerings to assist businesses recover from COVID-19.

This Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Activation Project is part of the Victorian Government Local Councils Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package.

The first site under the project was successfully launched on Monday 14 December at the Commercial Hotel Boort.

“This outdoor dining and entertainment activation funding will deliver a boost for our local pubs and cafes,” Loddon Shire Mayor Neil Beattie said.

“It is going to make a big difference to venues like the Commercial Hotel, and is about Council, in partnership with the State Government, providing stimulus to the hospitality industry after the tough year that has been 2020.”

The second and third sites will be activated on Thursday 17 December at the Victoria Hotel Pyramid Hill and the Wedderburn Hotel in Wedderburn with more being rolled out in early 2021.

As part of this project, a local Loddon contractor was sourced to build the picnic benches and planter boxes, while plants have been sourced locally for the first three sites. Keeping as much of Council’s spending as possible local, other local suppliers are being included in the future rollout of the project.

Loddon Shire Council was successful in securing $250,000 (ex GST) in funding for the activation of outdoor dining and entertainment as part of the Victorian Government’s $29.5 million Local Councils Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package.