Covid-19 bans hurt pubs and hotels to tune of $30 million
Some of the wishes of desperate businesses are set to be granted after the latest round of Covid restrictions left them reeling again.
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Business leaders have called for an immediate lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions imposed last week, with the Australian Hotels Association estimating the latest round of trading constraints will cost its members more than $30 million.
It is likely at some of their wishes will be met with premier Steven Marshall confirming he expects some easing of restrictions when the state’s Transition Committee meets Monday.
“As we have always said, we do not want to have a restriction in place for one day longer than it needs to be, and I anticipate some easing of restrictions to be announced [Monday],’’ Mr Marshall said.
However, Mr Marshall would not foreshadow which restrictions were likely to be loosened and noted “the situation in NSW still looking concerning, this is a time where we can’t become complacent.’’
The Transition Committee, which includes Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier, met Sunday but kept all restrictions in place. It gathers again Monday and will provide another update following its meeting.
Last week, the Committee placed restrictions on numbers allowed in pubs, clubs and restaurants, with stand-up drinking banned. There were bans on dancing and public singing and caps placed on gatherings in private homes. However, SA avoided lockdowns such as experienced in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia as the more infectious Delta variant escaped into the community.
A scare was sent through SA when a miner returning from NT tested positive. The man and four of his family members tested positive to the highly transmissible Delta variant. All close contacts of the man have now been cleared on Covid.
Business SA chief executive Martin Haese said while he understood why restrictions had been imposed it was time they were lifted as there had been no cases of community transmission in the last week.
“Given the positive outcome of the last week in South Australia, Business SA would be strongly encouraging the government to lift restrictions and return to where we were previously,’’ Mr Haese said.
AHA SA general manager Ian Horne said hotels and nightclubs should be returning to 75 per cent capacity, from 50 per cent, and stand-up drinking should again be allowed from Tuesday.
“The commitment was the restrictions would not be kept a minute longer than was necessary,’’ Mr Horne said.
Mr Horne said he estimated the cost to the industry of the restrictions “must be in excess of $30 million’’.
Damian Peterson, publican of the Metropolitan Hotel in the CBD, revenue for the week was about 20 per cent below normal. Mr Peterson said he had cancelled live music over the weekend, while one function had been cancelled and another had reduced numbers. He said he had to cut back shifts for staff as a result.
Mr Peterson said it was vital for the business that the pub could return to at least 75 per cent capacity.
“Having 50 per cent capacity is not a viable option, it is borderline break-even,’’ he said.
SA Health said two new cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Sunday, both from medi-hotels. Both cases were men in their 20s who had been infected overseas and had been in medi-hotels since arriving in SA. There are now 17 active cases in SA.
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