THE Grain Store will be Newcastle's epicentre for St Patrick's Day on Tuesday, celebrating traditional Irish music, cuisine and craic.
Owner Corey Crookes said he had introduced measures at the craft beer cafe to protect patron health, including a foot pedal operated hand washing basin at the entry and increased cleaning.
He said staff had removed condiments from tables and would provide single-use salt and pepper sachets.
"We want to be proactive and do what we can," he said. "Australia is not going to stop it, but hopefully we can contain it."
Mr Crookes said the venue had started to embrace St Patrick's Day after it became able to source independent Irish craft beer in recent years.
"There are lots of plastic St Patrick's Days but we keep it very much traditional - we don't have green wigs or beer or leprechauns - it's more authentic," Mr Crookes said.
"It gives a bit of a feeling of being back home for the day."
Mr Crookes said the bar would offer beer from O'Hara's and Eight Degrees, plus Bulmer's cider.
Guests can try Dublin coddle with soda bread, Irish sausage with champ, and beef and Guinness pie with colcannon.
Former Kildare resident Siobhan Murphy will be selling tickets to a raffle that will raise funds for HMRI in memory of her late son, Jack, who suffered sudden cardiac death in 2018.
Prizes include an O'Neills voucher, an Irish goods hamper, a NOVA Cruises voucher, Jamieson and a slab of Guinness.
"There are a lot of Irish in Newcastle and they're always coming out of the woodwork," she said.
"They're our family away from home and have been our tower of strength supporting us so much."
Newcastle City Hall clock tower will turn green.
To buy raffle tickets online visit https://give.everydayhero.com/au/jack-murphy-memorial-society
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