If you build it they will come, say Canberra's restaurants about a new convention centre

If you think there are too many Canberra restaurants closing down for good far too often, you’re not alone.

The capital’s hospitality industry itself is acutely aware of the constant battle to keep doors open in the face of tough economic times and cautious discretionary spending.

Business data company CreditorWatch predicts that one in 11 food and beverage businesses across Australia will close down over the next 12 months, with Canberra very much included in those statistics.

But as the calendar year draws to an end, there is a concerted push from parts of the city’s restaurant sector to get on the front foot in finding long-term solutions to boosting Canberra’s dining scene.

Top of the priority list for many local restaurateurs is infrastructure.

To put it simply – if you build it, they will come.

What they’re talking about is a new, world-class convention centre for Australia’s capital city.

With news during the recent ACT election that all sides of politics are in favour of a new centre, the industry is keen not to let those commitments disappear now the election is over.

The sector is convinced that with a far larger convention centre than the existing one, new lifeblood will be injected into the local dining scene.

Here’s the theory.

Canberra is missing out on too many conventions because its convention centre can’t cater for the bigger, longer events.

If it were to attract more conventions, with far larger crowds and spanning over more than just a couple of days each time, restaurants would be able to open their doors more days of the week than most currently do.

According to the Canberra Convention Bureau’s reckoning, with their travel and accommodation paid for, convention delegates from interstate, on average, spend up to $740 a day on extras like dining out.

But if they’re only in town for a couple of days at a time and only sporadically throughout the year, the boost to the local economy – and, in particular, the restaurant sector – is temporary and fleeting at best.

The impact of a steady stream of hungry visitors during the week could make a huge difference to Canberra’s food scene.

And for locals, who might venture out more on the weekends, it would mean their favourite restaurants would still be in business, not having to operate from weekend to weekend under the prospect of closure.

Dash Rumble from Canberra restaurant Such and Such is among those restaurant owners leading the charge for a new convention centre, saying the kind of consistent foot traffic it would be could be a game changer for the whole industry.

“When there are conventions and forums, there is a noticeable uptick in guests dining with us,” she said.

“However, these are less frequent and of a smaller scale than they could be due to the outdated nature and insufficient capacity of the current convention centre.

“We would expect to see an increase as more events are held. It would help introduce a larger customer base to the amazing hospitality industry that we have in Canberra.

“Most people are impressed once they visit, but often it takes a little nudge for people to visit Canberra.”

Currently, Canberra’s largest purpose-built conference, meeting and events venue is the National Convention Centre Canberra.

However, while the ACT Government is keen on a bigger facility, federal government funding would also be required to make it a reality.

Kathryn Oplantzakis, general manager at Verity Lane Precinct, is among those spearheading the push for a bigger convention centre.

“If the current convention centre misses out on a conference because of capacity restrictions, we lose those customers,” she said.

As for the chief executive officer of Canberra Convention Bureau, Michael Matthews, a new convention centre can’t come soon enough.

Canberra Convention Bureau is the ACT’s not-for-profit association with a mission to attract events to the capital.

“Canberra deserves a world-class convention centre that reflects its status as the nation’s capital. With federal support, we can build a venue that not only attracts major events but also showcases the best of our region to the world,” Mr Matthews said.

“For local businesses, a larger convention centre means more visitors, more spending, and more opportunities.

“Convention centres deliver mid-week vibrancy to the city, with more people enjoying the city during traditionally quieter periods.

“More people in our city centre also equals being safer for all. That also means patrons in restaurants, and given the viability issues facing many restaurants, mid-week trade ensures they can be there on weekends when Canberrans want to head out for dinner.”