Darwin International Airport in Australia has opened its new Hector’s Bar as part of an ongoing A$75m (US$60m) terminal development project.
The bar was named after a storm cloud that consistently forms over the region’s Tiwi Islands during the wet season. It is the second to last outlet to be opened as part of the development project, leaving Green Bean, a provider of healthy meals and sandwiches, as the final store to be opened later this year.
Jim Parashos, director – commercial and aviation development, Northern Territory (NT) Airports, the airport operator, said, “Our customers have never been shy in telling us how important the airport’s bar was to them, so when it came time to develop ideas for a new one as part of our terminal expansion project, we asked for feedback.
“During consultation sessions with stakeholders and community members we asked people what Darwin meant to them, and encouraged discussion about what makes the region unique, so we could look at how some of these qualities could be captured in a physical sense.
“The bar at the old Darwin Airport was a destination in its own right, with many long-time customers sharing their fond memories with us. Our food and beverage partner Delaware North took this feedback on board to create a concept specifically for Darwin.
“Hector’s Bar offers a nod to the part that weather plays in our identity – the fact that Hector was named by pilots in WWII adds a connection to aviation and the airport’s military history as well.”
Kieran Fitzpatrick, executive director, Delaware North, said, “Delaware North has a strong track record for collaboration and creating outlets that reflect their locations, and work within their surroundings and the vision of our partners. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved in developing Hector’s Bar, and that this bar could sit nowhere else, but, Darwin Airport.”
