Regional Queensland pub owner's plea after being forced to raise menu prices

Exclusive: A regional pub owner is pleading with Australians to head to their local venues after being forced to raise menu prices amid dwindling profits.

Former nurses Jayde Moore and her partner Cath Bates purchased the Royal Hotel Harrisville in Queensland's Scenic Rim, around 67 kilometres from Brisbane, four years ago in a bid to breathe new life into the historic pub.

But the expected post-COVID travel boom hasn't been enough to get customers through the doors, with tables and barstools sitting empty almost every day.

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Moore told nine.com.au that weekly trade has plunged by between 20 and 30 per cent in the last 18 months and the couple fear they may not stay afloat for much longer.

"Our last menu that we put out at the end of October, we did raise prices," Moore said.

"And if I thought it wouldn't negatively affect us, I would put another new menu out and raise prices now, but I think that would do more harm than good."

Harrisville has a population of around 700 people and the Royal Hotel is one of just two pubs in town.

Country pubs are the lifeblood of small regional towns like Harrisville.

"They're the ones that hold all the history in the community and hold the spirit of the community," Moore said.

"This pub has been standing for 150 years. So you can imagine if the walls could talk, what they would say."

The couple has worked hard to keep the doors open but spending habits have changed dramatically.

Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at april.glover@nine.com.au

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Moore blames rising interest rates, the cost of living crisis and a cultural shift away from pub visits.

She said a lot of people would rather spend their money on McDonald's or KFC for a quick meal.

"Once upon a time, a customer would order a garlic bread for entree, then they'd get a main meal, have a couple of drinks, maybe even a dessert," she said.

"Whereas now we're seeing people come in one drink, a main meal and that's it.

"People would prefer at the moment to spend their money with a multinational company than a small family business that is your local country pub."

Moore said the cripping taxes placed on small businesses is also partly to blame.

"The tax on small business is ridiculous," she said.

"They really need to do something about that because there is tax on everything.

To give you an example, beer tax, alcohol tax... it's horrendous."

While the government has provided temporary relief to draught beer drinkers with a two-year excise freeze, the tax on spirits was raised earlier this month.

Spirits are now taxed at $107.99 per litre in line with a twice-a-year inflation increase.

If business doesn't pick up, Moore said she and Bates may have to visit their exit plan.

They aren't alone.

Pub owners all around Australia are "doing it tough", Moore explained.

She said some industry colleagues have seen a revenue drop of around 50 per cent per week.

One in nine hospitality businesses went insolvent in 2025, according to peak hospitality body the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA).

"We're trying to get the word out to say that country pubs are doing it tough, we're a living, breathing piece of Australian history and for people to get out and support us," she added.

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