No room for vote error

THE Perth public might be behind Room Nineteen but the population of our great city alone will not be able to save the Northbridge-based reality TV restaurant. According to Channel Seven publicist Brigitte Doucet, Perth was the most loyal State in terms of voting (more people in Perth vote for the Perth restaurant than other State’s viewers vote for their State’s restaurant).

But Ms Doucet says the voting system has been designed to accommodate variances in populations and to ensure that the winning restaurant is a national favourite.

Room Nineteen, therefore, will need interstate votes as well as votes from Perth in order to win. The fate of Room Nineteen operators, Ash Huish and Amanda Thomas, will be decided this Sunday when the restaurant with the lowest voting score will be eliminated. The public will then be asked to vote for their favourite restaurant from the remaining two. 

The reality TV show’s average audience in Perth last Sunday night was 306,393 viewers, making it the most watched TV program for the week.

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Must Winebar’s bar is going to get a whole lot bigger later this month when renovations begin on what will add 30 per cent to the bar. A complete bar make over will better define the two elements of the business, according to Must Winebar co-owner Russell Blaikie. “We’re finishing what we started three years ago,” Mr Blaikie says. “We didn’t have the money then; we do now. We’re extending the bar by 30 per cent and doing a few other things.

“When you come in you’ll be greeted with a new entrance area. The design on the doors will be reversed so that you can see inside.” The renovations also include putting a ledge on the inside of the premise facing out to the street.

“We’re trying to maximise the street appeal,” Mr Blaikie says.

Behind the bar will be a “wall of wine” so that there’s no mistaking that the bar is a serious one. A new colour scheme incorporated into the bar to give it greater separation from the restaurant, making it a dual-purpose venue. “We’ve got the bar and we’ve got the bistro and when you walk in you’ll know if you want to have a drink and a nibble or eat at the bistro,” Mr Blaikie says.

Must Winebar will close on Sunday May 23 and reopen for dinner on Tuesday May 25.

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The 2004 Wine Industry Awards for Excellence was held last week, with Moss Wood founder Bill Pannell awarded the Di Cullen Award for an outstanding long-term individual contribution to the WA wine industry.

Sandalford Wines won the best wine tourism facility and an award for its contribution to the Swan Valley.

The most outstanding new vineyard award was won by Margaret River’s Pialligo Estate, while the best winemaking facility was awarded to Watershed Premium Wines.

And the most outstanding new wine brand was awarded to Woodside Valley Estate.

WA Business News 40under40 First Amongst Equals winner Darren Haunold won the young achiever award for his work at Wills Domain in Margaret River.

The most outstanding commitment to customer service was won by Watershed Premium Wines’ Natalie Dillon. Other winners included Palandri, which won the excellence in wine export award, while the most outstanding affiliate member was won by Bentleys MRI Perth.