Update from the EO

Hello to all of our wonderful businesses,

I hope this newsletter finds you well and energized as we move into the next month of exciting initiatives for our community!

The Lounge

I’m thrilled to kick off with some fantastic news about our winter pop-up community space, The Lounge. We recently wrapped up the season, and it was an overwhelming success! We welcomed just under 10,000 people through the doors—an average of 120 visitors per day! The Lounge reached all demographics and was embraced by the community in ways we couldn’t have anticipated.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of local businesses, artists, and sponsors, and we are so grateful for everyone who played a part. Many visitors reported they came into town and stayed longer because of The Lounge, contributing to the vibrancy and hopefully boosting economic activity in our city. We are currently exploring grant opportunities to bring this amazing space back again next winter—so stay tuned!

NORTH Food Festival – Excitement is Building!

As we look forward to our next big event, I am so proud of the program that our team for NORTH Food Festival have put together, and to our Launceston venues who have again got creative and collaborative and put on some amazing food experiences.

Now in its 4th year, this festival has become a beloved fixture of our community, celebrating local food, culture, and creativity and highlighting all the reasons why we have been recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

We’re in the process of setting up a committee to oversee the planning and execution the festival moving forward. If you're interested in being part of this dynamic team, we’d love to have your input and expertise. This festival is such a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the talent and delicious produce that make Launceston special, and with your help, I know this year will be better than ever – get your tickets quick and help us spread the word as they are selling fast!

Police Sessions for Business Owners – A Valuable Resource

Recently, we hosted two highly informative police sessions for our local business owners, led by the wonderful Inspector Craig Fox. These sessions provided crucial insights into preventing theft, effectively reporting incidents, and dealing with anti-social behaviour. Inspector Fox also walked us through the rights of retailers and venues, including the right to refuse entry when necessary, which is vital knowledge for maintaining a safe and secure business environment.

I’m thrilled to share that over 60 business owners attended these sessions! The engagement and feedback we received were fantastic, and we will definitely be organizing another session later this year for those who couldn’t make it.

For those who attended (or if you missed out), we have some incredibly useful handouts that will soon be available on the Launceston Central website under the business page. If you’d like a copy directly, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. I’m so proud of the collaborative spirit we continue to foster—let’s keep this momentum going!

Celebrating Business Champions

Finally, I’d like to congratulate the winners of two fantastic competitions we hosted over winter! A huge shout-out to Saigon Kitchen, who successfully defended their title as Launceston’s best soup in our Soupalicious competition with their delicious Beef Pho. Well done to the team—you’ve truly warmed our hearts (and bellies)!

Also, congratulations to the lucky winner of our newsletter subscriber winter wardrobe competition. With $1,000 to spend in businesses across the Launceston CBD, we’re sure there’s some fabulous shopping ahead!

Amanda McEvoy

Executive Officer

Launceston Central