Stumbling and aggressive drunks were absent in the Brumbies victory Tuesday night.
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Reports of a well behaved crowd from the hospitality and hotel industries were pleasing for local businesses.
Peter Barclay, managing director of King O'Malley's, noticed a slight increase in the crowd from 2001.
“In 2001 if anything, there were more families, grandparents travelling with parents, so there were more people spread over a longer period of time because there were several games in Sydney,” Mr Barclay said.
With less time between matches, hotels were hit with more short-term and overnight stays.
Australian Hotels Association (AHA) ACT General Manager, Brad Watts, commented on the peak.
“Hotel general managers say it was the biggest accommodation night of 2013 – even bigger than budget night in May which is normally one of the highest accommodation nights of the year,” Mr Watts said.
As the test opener against the Wallabies is in Brisbane on Saturday, patrons aren't expected to stick around for much longer.
“Most of the British Lions fans have now checked out and have headed off to Brisbane for the next match,” Mr Watts said.
P.J. O'Reilly's Civic General Manager, Mark Usherwood, reported a dramatic increase in takings last night, although not the same as 2001.
“From what I was told it was not as busy as the 2001 game, being a Tuesday, with Sydney and Brisbane events either side of it,” Mr Usherwood said.
But visitors did help to boost earnings.
“Trade was probably four to five times more than usual for a Tuesday,” Mr Usherwood said.
King O'Malley's duty manager, Mark Peisley, observed a similar dramatic rise.
“We went through nearly 30 kegs. On a Tuesday we would go through four or six if we were lucky,” Mr Peisley said.
Yet one particular group was missing from the venue.
“It was mostly males, there were only a few female supporters in,” Mr Usherwood said.
Noticing an older crowd in both 2001 and 2013, King O'Malley staff poured only the occasional Guinness.
“They set the standard of how people should socialise and enjoy themselves, show how people can have a good time, without getting drunk,” Mr Barclay said.
“As pubs we don't want to see alcohol-fuelled violence every time we pick up a newspaper, it's unnecessary.”