Nightlife and social scene

Ballarat venues recorded 1,450 entries across Friday and Saturday nights last weekend, the highest July figure in three years according to door counts compiled by the Ballarat Licensed Venues Association.

The increase follows the end of the winter school holidays and the start of a new round of council-supported late licences that run until 2am on weekends. Locals who stayed indoors during colder weeks now seek indoor gatherings, pushing operators to extend music sets and add seated social sessions rather than standing room only.

Venues drawing the numbers

The Criterion Hotel on Sturt Street opened an upstairs lounge last month that fits 180 people and already hosts acoustic sets from 9pm on Thursdays. Down on Bridge Mall, The Eastern added a 10pm-to-midnight cocktail session on Saturdays that pairs with its existing trivia format and has lifted drink sales by 18 percent since June.

Both sites sit within the central entertainment precinct where foot traffic is monitored by the city’s safety cameras. The association noted that average spend per person reached $47 last weekend, up from $39 in the same period last year.

Practical steps for this weekend

Door prices remain at $12 entry after 9pm at both venues, with online pre-purchase cutting that to $8. The Criterion lists its Thursday line-up on its site each Monday, while The Eastern releases Saturday cocktail menus on Wednesday. Visitors are advised to arrive before 10pm to secure tables, especially on the nights when live music runs until close.