Many families in Perth are choosing to leave the cooking – and dirty dishes – to others on December 25 this year and enjoy Christmas lunch at their local pub.

And this could be the last Christmas when places are forced to serve alcoholic drinks only with meals.

The Australian Hotels Association is lobbying both major parties ahead of next year’s state election to consider changes to the “outdated” liquor licensing law that requires drinks to be served to accompany a meal on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

AHA WA chief Bradley Woods said with more pubs, bars and hotels opening to serve Christmas lunch and dinner, venues and consumers wanted more flexibility on December 25.

“It is an issue that has long been on our agenda to see venues meeting the needs and demands of the community,” he told The Sunday Times.

Mr Woods said that while only a small number of premises would open on Christmas Day a decade ago, there was now significant demand from customers who wanted to avoid spending half the day in a hot kitchen preparing a roast.

With tourism spending in WA at a record high of about $18 billion a year, the hotel boss said more interstate and overseas visitors than ever were keen to go out for a drink on Christmas Day and Good Friday.

“(The current rules) put an unnecessary limitation on a couple of days a year,” Woods said.

He said society’s expectations had changed over the past decade.

“People who want to go to church or celebrate in a religious way on Christmas Day do, and . . . there are no restrictions on that,” Woods said.

“We want to seek reforms from both sides of the political divide, that they will support an ongoing process to reduce red tape and reform some of the restrictions that are somewhat outdated.

“We’re way beyond the society that has this expectation that adults do nothing on Christmas Day other than go to church and have traditional family gatherings.”

The Guildford Hotel is among the many pubs in Perth planning to serve festive packages offering multi-course feasts and free-flowing drinks on Christmas Day.

Senior operations manager Katie Reeves said the annual event grew bigger every year, with the historic pub expecting more than 400 diners this year.

While most customers were happy to have alcoholic drinks with their food on Christmas Day, she said the rules should be relaxed on Good Friday.

Stories hospitality precinct, launched earlier this year at the redeveloped Yagan Square, will not open for business on December 25.

Ross Drennan, co-director of Stories owner Nokturnl, said the group had decided to give hard-working staff a day off to spend with family and friends.

“Christmas is a tough decision for us,” he said. “We feel there’s probably a demand there, especially in the restaurants, to host long lunches.”

Drennan said the extra staffing cost due to public holiday penalties was “a consideration but not a deciding factor” in the decision not to open on Christmas Day.

However, he supports scrapping the current rule that allows alcohol to be served only with meals on December 25 and Good Friday.

“The public doesn’t understand the reasoning behind it, and as such it just creates frustration,” Drennan said.

“This frustration is then borne by staff working in the hospitality industry who must constantly try to defend these rules.”

The hotel operator expects the licensing regulations to change before Good Friday next year, which falls on April 18.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH IS ON THEM

On December 25, leave the hard work and dirty dishes to the teams at these Perth pubs. Make sure to book in advance for your big pub grub this Christmas.

THE GUILDFORD HOTEL

Treat yourself to the Guildford Hotel’s famous Christmas party. The pub offers three courses and a two-hour drinks package over two sessions (dinner-2pm and 4-6pm). The cost for adults is $180 per person, for children under 12 it’s $65 each, and it’s free for children under three.

THE CLAREMONT HOTEL

Take the stress out of planning and enjoy the ultimate Christmas Day party with two hours of drinks, lunch, seafood, salad and charcuterie and a dessert bar with a chocolate fountain. This decadent banquet costs $230 for adults (with a non-alcoholic package for $160), and it costs $160 for teenagers, $70 for children and is free for infants. There are two slots available: noon-2pm and 3pm-5pm.

VICTORIA PARK HOTEL

The Vic is putting on a mouth-watering Christmas buffet on December 25 with two hours of wine, beer, bubbly and soft drinks for $159 per person. Diners can upgrade with an arrival bottle of bubbly. The cost for children under 12 is $59 each. Two-hour seatings are available at noon and 3 p.m.

BLAST COLLECTIVE

The popular Burswood Brewery is offering a sumptuous three-course dinner featuring seasonal local produce and three hours of free-flowing drinks from noon to 3pm on Christmas Day. First release tickets are now on sale for $175 per person.

THE BASSENDEAN HOTEL

The beloved Basso dishes up three courses of delicious shared plates for $165 per person, which includes two hours of wine, beer, bubbly and soft serve. Children 12 and under can eat for $60, while those under four eat for free. There are two sessions: noon-2pm and 3-5pm.

MARKET BASIS

Celebrate Chrissy in style at the award-winning inner-city pub. The three-course prix fixe menu with three hours of free-flowing festival cocktails, bubbly, house wines, draft beers and ciders runs from noon and costs $180 per person (or less for those too young to drink).

QUEEN’S TAVERN

The Beaufort Street stalwart marks Christmas with a three-course à la carte menu plus canapés on arrival. Choose from three starters (including a chilled shrimp cocktail), four mains (with traditional ham and turkey) and three desserts for $130 per person with pay-as-you-go drinks from the bar. There is also a $35 children’s mini menu.

SWEETWATER ROOF BAR

Join Sweetwater for the ultimate Christmas day with stunning views of Fremantle. For $195 per person, enjoy a three-course banquet and two hours of free-flowing bubbly, wines, draft beers and ciders. Non-drinkers can enjoy non-alcoholic wines, beers and mocktails. Cost for under 16s $35 per person with choice of main meal and soft drink. Sessions are available between 12.00-14.00, 13.00-15.00 and 14.00-16.00.

THE GLOBE

The crew at this city institution dust off their Santa hats to serve up a family-style three-course feast with shared plates, a “main event” and a festive grazing table for desserts to finish. There is also a two-hour drinks offer including house wines, beers and soft drinks over two sessions, starting at noon or 4pm. The cost is $160 per adult or $60 per child under 12, with children under three eating free.

GALWAY HOOKER

Forget White Christmas, and start dreaming of Christmas by the beach with a cold Guinness in hand. Head to the Irish pub on the beach in Scarborough for a three-course nosh-up of turkey and other festive favorites plus two hours of drinks. The cost is $170 for adults, $80 for children under 17 and free for children under three. Sessions are available from noon to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm.

THE WOODBRIDGE HOTEL

Woody’s gets in the Christmas spirit with a three-course lunch from noon for $69 per person (or $55 for seniors), plus a two-hour drinks package for $40 per person.

COBBLER PUB

Head along the old coast road to Cobblers in Falcon for a traditional roast dinner, the centerpiece of this pub’s Christmas party which costs $149 per person. That price includes a two-hour drinks package with house wines, selected tap beers and soft drinks. Children 17 and under can enjoy the tucker for $49 per person, children under 11 for $39 and those up and under for $15.

QUARTER ACRE

This Applecross pub offers a three-course feast plus two hours of free-flowing drinks from midday for $149 per person or $80 for non-drinkers and teenagers. The cost for children under 12 is $60 per person, while children under three eat for free.

THE RAFFLE’S HOTEL

The historic waterfront hotel is celebrating Christmas Day with a festive three-course lunch menu along with two hours of drinks for $160 per adult, $50 per child (ages 5-12) and free for children aged four and under.