08 JULY 2020 | ISSUE 453 | FREE
Known locally as The East, The Railway Hotel, Murchison is owned and operated by publicans, Paul and Emilia Golding with their son Mitch. 29 year old Mitch Golding calls the East home taking responsibility of the daily operations as he continues to find unique ways to stand out and draw a crowd. Built in 1880, the then ‘Samuel Parkin’s Railway Terminus Hotel’ was rated as one of the most comfortable hotels in the Goulburn Valley. The publican, according to the account in the Argus, was prepared to accommodate ‘all classes of the travelling public’. The hotel also offered good stabling, a ‘good safe paddock and plenty of water’. Following extensive renovations the Golding family opened the East on Sunday the 15th October 2017 with an aim to continue the tradition of being rated as one of the most comfortable hotels in the Goulburn Valley. “We do this by acknowledging and respecting all our patrons and guests, a choice of 6 cold beers on tap and great food is imperative, and entertainment is also a key to bring the public together at The East!” said Mitch. However, Sunday March 22nd 2020 is a day Mitch will never forget. The coronavirus pandemic had escalated and restrictions were introduced, the very future of The East was now under siege. “We were advised that as of midday on the 23rd March, the majority of our business was no longer allowed to trade as normal. It didn’t really come as a surprise to me, after watching what was unfolding in Italy, the rest of Europe and of course China. It was still heart breaking, having to pour thousands of dollars worth of tapped alcohol down the drain. Actually, most of the beer ended up watering some grass, it brought a tear to my eye,” said Mitch. No one could have predicted the coronavirus pandemic or the implications it would have on the economy. Mitch realised he would need to act quickly to survive during the stage 3 restrictions. “We introduced a delivery service, which allowed us to trade without breaching restrictions. We were not able to trade in the venue, so we had to recreate ourselves. It was easy to jump in the car and deliver food and beverages in and around Murchison,” said Mitch.
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“Keeping up to date with Facebook is another way to make sure that we are always in the right space at the right time to generate business,” added MItch. With the restricted trading hours, Mitch and his partner Romana have been able to spend quality time together, enjoying picnics, walks, and camping when the restrictions were eased. “I love spending time with family, friends, in person and on FaceTime. Going for walks around town, near the river, going fishing,” said Mitch. “We’ve been focusing on other tasks at the East, attending to some plumbing and electrical work and designing a new menu,” said Mitch. Mitch likes to keep the offering simple at The East, “I always say the three pillars to success in pubs are Cold beer, great food, and service with a smile,” said MItch. “Customer service is probably the main key, it includes everything to do with the food availability, how long it takes for the meal to arrive, the range of alcohol and non-alcohol beverages we have. Our pricing is very competitive, we offer a courtesy bus, and food and beverage delivery is also available. Having a full fridge, clean amenities and tidy area to relax in a country pub is a must. The support from our local and loyal customers has been amazing over these last few challenging months,” Mitch said. Pre Covid19, The East had established a very loyal customer base. “We wouldn’t survive without our loyal customers from Murchison, Toolamba, Tatura, Miepoll, and Arcadia. We would have a dozen or so in the bar most nights after work, farmers, tradies, the usual pub goers! Weekends can be anything from 5 people on a Saturday lunch, to 80 people, or 400 when we have music on,” said Mitch.
“We try to have live entertainment at least once a month during the cooler months, and two or three times during the warmer months obviously this winter is a bit different! We will go back to having a regular live music schedule once restrictions are eased. We have had some really awesome acts so far, Adam Brand, Tom Curtain, Mental as Anything, Wilbur Wilde just
to name a few,” said Mitch. Governments across the globe have implemented strict social distancing measures to help reduce the spread of the disease, and The East is currently operating with a capacity of twenty patrons in the dining room, six in platform one, two in the bar and twenty in the beer garden. The restrictions have been frustrating but with some careful consideration, Mitch has been able to make it work. “We have been doing full table service as per government guidelines. Having only bookings of six, now ten, was the most difficult to manage. How do you tell a family of 7 that they have to choose one child to sit alone? Answer is, you don’t. You make it work. No matter what the rules are. Have a table of 3 adults and a table of 4 for the kids!” Said Mitch. “We wouldn’t be able to trade and get through the challenging times without the support of our team at The East, Rhiannon in the Bar & Linh in the Kitchen, we are very grateful,” said Mitch. The pandemic situation in Victoria remains a roller coaster like no other but Mitch remains confident that there is light at the end. “As long as our lights are on and we are allowed to offer takeaway meals and drinks, we will get
through any lockdown situation. If it gets to the point that we can no longer offer fresh prepared food or take away alcohol, that’s when things will be really difficult. We will get through it,” said Mitch. “We will be celebrating our 3rd birthday later this year. Probably not as extravagant as what we normally do, but we will try to have some music, family activities, cold beer, great food and of course some freebies and promo stuff on the day!” said Mitch. “These past months have presented many challenges and it’s been very stressful, but I have taken the time to relax more, live every day and just smile. Avoid letting the small things get to you, Hakuna Matata,” smiled Mitch.
The East is currently trading Monday & Tuesday 3pm-7pm Bar, Bottleshop & TAB. The bistro is open Wednesday - Sunday. Keep up to date with opening hours c by visiting @RailwayMurch on facebook. Located at 4910 Goulburn Valley Hwy, Murchison East VIC 3610. Bookings: (03) 5826 2552