Longer evenings bring brighter business spend

In Sydney’s eastern suburbs, restaurant and accommodation spend surged 24%, while Melbourne’s bayside saw accommodation up 57%, retail up 30%, and spend at bars and pubs up 12%.

NAB Executive for Small Business Krissie Joines said the data backs what many business owners already know, when the sun sticks around longer, so do customers.  

“From Bondi Beach to Brunswick East, the shift to daylight savings brings a noticeable lift in foot traffic and spending in the later hours,” said Ms Jones.

“That means more Aussies heading out after work, grabbing dinner, shopping locally, and soaking up the extra sunlight hours. 

“While some states don’t observe daylight savings, the excitement for summer is still contagious. Warmer weather and longer days mean more people out and about, reconnecting with their communities and supporting local businesses.

“So next time you grab a gelato after dinner or pop into a shop on your evening walk, know you are part of a seasonal surge that’s helping small businesses thrive.” 

CASE STUDY 1 
Ranfurlie Range, driving range in Melbourne’s southeast 

CEO of Ranfurlie Range Managing Director Daniel Muir said daylight savings has a noticeable impact on business, with more people visiting after work to play a round, hit the driving range, and stay longer to enjoy a meal or drink outdoors. 

“The extended daylight hours allow us to run twilight competitions and evening clinics, which are consistently popular and help drive trade during the warmer months,” Mr Muir said.

“We adjust our offering to suit the season, bringing in DJs and acoustic sets during daylight savings to create a more vibrant atmosphere and encourage people to stay longer. 

“Our after-school programs also benefit. With more daylight, we’re able to extend kids’ golf clinics into the early evening, giving families more flexibility and increasing participation.”

CASE STUDY 2 
Village Wine Bar, hospitality venue in inner Melbourne  
 
Nathalie Reymond Director of Reymond Group, who operates several venues across Melbourne, said the shift to daylight savings brings a noticeable change in customer behaviour.

“The minute the evenings warm up, we see a clear lift in bookings. People stay out longer, meet friends, and often stay for another drink or dinner,” Ms Raymond said. 

“Daylight savings gives people time to live their lives after work. Instead of heading straight home, they’re out socialising, and that’s good for business. 

“At The Village Wine Bar in Middle Park Village, we’ve got a large terrace that really comes to life in the warmer months. We roster extra staff because we know it gets busy as soon as the sun sticks around.” 

CASE STUDY 3 
Kōri Ice Cream, store with locations in Hawthorn and Melbourne CBD 

Director Kōri Ice Cream Bernard Chu said September is consistently one of their strongest months outside of summer, and daylight savings really adds to that momentum.  

“We see a clear lift in foot traffic once the evenings warm up and the sun is in the sky longer. People are out later, exploring the city, and ice cream becomes part of that experience,” Mr Chu said.

“Being in the CBD, we get a lot of post-dinner and after-work visitors, and daylight savings extends that window - people feel like they’ve got more time to enjoy the night.  

“Our Japanese-inspired flavours are a real drawcard, and the longer evenings help us connect with more customers. For us, this is the time we go all in on building excitement, so that by summer, we’re running at full steam.” 
 
ENDS

Notes to editors: 

• *Spend insights are based on NAB merchant terminal data comparing the two weeks before and after the start of daylight savings in 2023 and 2024. Data excludes QLD, WA and NT, which do not observe daylight savings. Categories include accommodation, hospitality, retail and tourist attractions only.  

• Sydney’s eastern suburbs refers to the suburbs around Bondi Beach, Clovelly and Coogee. 

• Melbourne’s bayside refers to the suburbs around St Kilda, Elwood, Middle Park.