98 Lygon Street + GoTab, Powering the Future of Hospitality in Melbourne, Australia

Industry veterans Ben Clark and Simon Aukett prove that tradition and technology can thrive together

OVERVIEW: GoTab has officially made its Australia debut. The entertainment commerce platform and Point of Sale (POS) system that powers many of North America’s most dynamic restaurants, breweries, and entertainment venues is now live Down Under.

Our first case study there comes straight from Melbourne’s creative dining scene, where a pair of industry titans have opened a brasserie and cocktail bar unlike anything else on Lygon Street.

98 Lygon Street Bar & Bistro’s founders, Ben Clark and Simon Aukett, are hardly newcomers to hospitality. Between them, they bring more than 40 years of experience running bars and restaurants across London, Europe and Australia. They met nearly two decades ago in London and built careers in some of the world’s most respected kitchens and cocktail dens before returning home with a vision to create something enduring. Together, they set out to create the No. 1 dining experience in the Brunswick East locale, and as far as we’re concerned, they’ve accomplished that goal.

Opening on Mother’s Day in May 2025, the bar and bistro is Parisian at heart with a distinctly Melbourne edge. It is indulgent without being pretentious, moody without being unwelcoming, and every detail – from the wine list to the soundscape – has been curated to feel both glamorous and local. Guests are served in the traditional sense, with orders taken at the table and bills closed in person, yet the operation is powered by GoTab’s modern, flexible point-of-sale that keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

“GoTab looked like something that belongs in the present,” Aukett said. “It feels intuitive. If I need to add something to the menu mid-service, I can do it on my phone and it is live within seconds.”

For Clark and Aukett, GoTab delivered speed, responsiveness, and adaptability when they needed it most. For GoTab, the partnership represents a successful Australian launch, showing how the platform can flex to fit both new markets and timeless service models.

The team nearly launched on Square, with hardware ready to go, but ultimately made the call to put their trust in GoTab. “We had all the Square gear sitting there,” Aukett said. “But when GoTab’s Nathan Merriman reached out, we told him if they could be ready by our opening in May, we’d go with it. The system had to be live that week. And the team delivered.”

The Filthy Poor Story: A Partnership Years in the Making

For many American readers, Ben Clark and Simon Aukett may be unfamiliar names, but within the hospitality world their influence has been undeniable. Clark cut his teeth with Michelin-starred chefs, ran large-scale food and beverage programs for major hotels, and went on to open acclaimed venues in both the UK and along the New South Wales coast.

Aukett grew up in the energy of London’s cocktail culture, learning at The Player and Arabica Bar & Kitchen, where he refined both the mechanics of a bar and the art of connecting with guests.

“We always joked about opening a place together,” Clark said. “We were young guys in London, surrounded by amazing people, and we thought one day we would do it ourselves. Life pulled us in different directions, but the idea never went away.”

That idea finally resurfaced after the pandemic when both men found themselves back in Australia. 

This time, the timing was right. 

The pair operates under the Filthy Poor brand and 98 Lygon is their latest venture. 

“When you have worked in this industry long enough, you know what feels authentic,” Aukett said. “We wanted to create a place that carried the generosity of old-world hospitality and also reflected who we are now.”

Location Matters: Why Lygon Street

Lygon Street has long been the heart of Melbourne’s dining culture, famous for espresso bars, trattorias, and generations of Italian food traditions. In Brunswick East, the strip feels different. There is grit and creativity, and it is home to a new wave of chefs and bartenders willing to take risks.

“It reminded us of parts of East London,” Clark said. “Hoxton, Shoreditch, Hackney. Places where you would see people drinking natural wine, trying something different, and embracing that energy. We knew we wanted to be part of that.”

When a dual shopfront with nearly a century of history came up for sale, they saw their chance. The property had already been restored with original brickwork, terrazzo flooring, and a courtyard at the back. “The bones were incredible,” Clark said. “We could focus on the styling, the branding, and building the right team.”

The space now holds about 150 guests and flows from a sunny bistro at the front to a moody cocktail bar and a private dining room. It is flexible enough to host weddings, wine tastings, or casual afternoons, while still maintaining its identity as a neighborhood brasserie.

The Concept: Service Is At The Heart of the Experience

98 Lygon Street is indulgent, but in a way that feels grounded. The menu is built on bistro classics like steak frites Bordelaise, chicken liver parfait, shallot tart tatin, and crème brûlée, all prepared with obsessive precision. “We wanted to bring food that people love on and refine it with care,” Clark said. “It is food you recognize, but we obsess over every detail so that when it hits the table, it feels both familiar and elevated.”

The bar reflects Aukett’s background in London’s cocktail scene. Guests will find playful house signatures like a nitro-dispensed peanut butter Fernet and Coke or a milk punch alongside timeless staples. “Cocktails are where we get to have some fun,” Aukett said. “We respect the classics, but we also like to surprise people. A drink can be cheeky, but still sophisticated. That balance is very us.”

The wine list spans old-world benchmarks and natural local finds, with a “black book” of rare bottles for those in the know. “We wanted our wine program to have depth, so people who know wine can get excited,” Aukett said, “but it also had to feel approachable. You should be able to walk in, have a glass, and feel at home.”

For Clark and Aukett, none of it would matter without service. Guests are seated, guided through the menu, and looked after from the moment they arrive until the final bill. Clark explained, “Part of going out is the romance of being looked after. That is what we wanted to protect. Someone describing the wine or explaining the specials makes the whole night feel memorable.”

He added, “The last five minutes of a guest’s visit are just as important as the first five. How they are greeted matters, but how they are sent off matters even more. If someone gets up and has to walk to a counter to pay, it breaks the magic. We want to carry them through the entire experience.”

Aukett echoed the point. “Hospitality is about generosity. It is not just the food or the drink, it is the way you feel when someone anticipates what you need. That is why we do full table service, because we believe the human connection is what turns a night out into a memory.”

Why GoTab: Believing In The Possibilities

Clark and Aukett knew from the beginning that their vision for 98 Lygon Street depended on technology that could disappear into the background. They wanted service to feel romantic and personal, not transactional, but they also knew the backbone of their operation had to be nimble, modern, and reliable. Both had used dozens of POS systems throughout their careers, and most left them frustrated.

“Some of them still look like they were built in MS Paint,” Aukett said with a laugh. “GoTab immediately looked slick. It had that modern, intuitive feel, almost like Apple’s design ethos. You just feel more confident using it.”

When GoTab’s Australia lead, Nathan Merriman, first approached the founders, the timing could not have been more challenging. 98 Lygon was racing toward its opening weekend, with a firm deadline set for Mother’s Day. The team had already decided they would not waste time building one system only to migrate to another later.

“We told Nathan, if this is going to happen, it has to be ready for day one,” Clark said. “We were not going to do the work twice. Training staff, building menus, making that investment – it all had to be ready when we opened the doors.”

Merriman saw the pressure as an opportunity. 

“Ben and Simon are operators with very high standards,” he said. “That kind of challenge forced us to sharpen our own processes and prove that GoTab could deliver in a brand-new market. The partnership has shaped not only their venue but how we now serve others in Australia.”

From the start, the platform delivered on its promise of speed and flexibility. “I can whip out my phone, create a new product, and it is on the till a second later,” Aukett explained. “With other systems you have to be on a server, push it through layers of steps, and wait. It is about time hospitality caught up.”

GoTab’s system also had to adapt to new Australian norms, from billing formats to staff workflows as well as modifications to terminology in the user interface. That willingness to listen and evolve stood out. “Hospitality is global, but every culture delivers it differently,” Clark said. “GoTab listened to that and adjusted. It gave us confidence that they understood our world.”

The partnership was more than technical. 

Clark and Aukett said the responsiveness of the team made all the difference. “There were teething issues, of course, but Nathan and the team were there straight away,” Clark said. “Sometimes fixes happened during the shift itself. That is pretty impressive.”

For Aukett, the relationship felt collaborative in a way he had never experienced with other systems. “We are fully aware that being early adopters gave us the chance to help shape GoTab in Australia,” he said. “That is not something you usually get with a POS system.”

“98 Lygon is an incredible venue,” Merriman shared. “It’s a special opportunity. So, on behalf of the GoTab team, just a massive thank you to those guys for believing in us.” 

Key Takeaways

Venue: 98 Lygon Street Bar and Bistro, Brunswick East, Melbourne, Australia
Opened: May 2025
Capacity: 150 seats, with dining room, cocktail bar, courtyard, and private dining room
Concept: Parisian-inspired brasserie and cocktail bar blending old-world hospitality with Melbourne edge
Founders: Ben Clark and Simon Aukett, industry veterans with more than 40 years of combined experience across London, Europe, and Australia
GoTab Tools Used: Handheld and Stationary Point-of-Sale system, mobile manager app, real-time menu updates, Kitchen Display System

Results:

• GoTab adapted quickly to Australian service culture, tailoring billing formats and workflows.
• Venue launched on a tight Mother’s Day deadline with GoTab fully operational on opening day. The founders considered Square, but shifted when GoTab promised to deliver with a tight deadline. 
• Real-time updates and mobile functionality streamlined operations for staff and management.
• Continuous feedback loop between 98 Lygon Street and GoTab shaped improvements for the Australian market.
• Guests experience traditional table service while technology runs seamlessly behind the scenes.

Learn More

At GoTab, people are at the heart of everything we do. 98 Lygon Street’s story in Melbourne shows what happens when technology is backed by real relationships and a team that cares as much about hospitality as you do.

When you work with GoTab in Australia, you are not dialing into a call center or getting lost in a help queue. You will talk directly with people who know the industry, understand the culture, and will walk alongside you as a partner. From your first menu build to those critical opening weeks, our team is there to listen, adapt, and make sure the technology supports the experience you want to deliver. We give you all the tools to create unforgettable guest experiences.

Reach out to our team in Australia to start the conversation. We will meet you where you are, and together we will find the right way to power your hospitality story.

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