Moreton Bay Regional Council has refunded a total of $760,000 in food licence fees back into the bank accounts of 1212 local restaurants, cafes, pubs and hotels, including awarding-winning Scarborough wedding venue Reid’s Place.
Moreton Bay Region Mayor Peter Flannery recently met the owners, Beth and Rob Reid, to hear how business was going during COVID-19.
“Beth and Rob Reid were over the moon when they received their food licence refund,” he said.
“It’s an efficient and meaningful way of Council helping an industry that has been hit so hard by COVID-19 restrictions.
“Supporting businesses through these tough times isn’t just about helping the economy, it’s about helping our community.
“The vibrancy and pride we feel for our region is fuelled by the iconic businesses that set us apart, like Reid’s Place with their impressive gardens, amazing high teas and magical weddings.
“Being there reminded me what a remarkable place we live in, and I encourage everyone to get out and support local businesses because we’re all in this together.
“This initiative is part Council’s $32.9 million coronavirus stimulus package, and we’ll continue proactively helping residents and businesses with practical initiatives to keep Moreton Bay on track.”
An award-winning wedding venue and bed n’ breakfast tucked away in the heart of Scarborough, Reid’s Place was hit hard by travel and event restrictions with bookings stopping completely for months.
“It’s been very quiet; nothing, zero bookings and no business,” Rob Reid said.
“But thankfully, it’s starting to pick back up now which is promising.
“We’re grateful and thankful to the Council for the refund that we received, every dollar has counted during these tough times.”
Taking home the top award for Visitor Experience Excellence at the inaugural 2017 Moreton Bay Business Excellence & Innovation Awards, the Reids know a thing or two about delivering exceptional visitor service after decades of experience.
“It’s been 25 years since we did our first wedding here at Reid’s Place, we have learnt a lot over the years and have met and worked with amazing people in the industry, as well as beautiful people both local and from all over the world,” Beth Reid said.
“Rob got the mail one day and he said, “there’s a cheque here from Council!” and I said, “what do you mean?!”
“You know that made me smile all day, it was lovely.”