SA’s great reopening: Most food and drink venues back trading as coronavirus restrictions ease
South Aussies celebrated as thousands of pubs, restaurants and wineries threw open their doors on Monday, as the state begins to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. SEE WHAT ELSE IS BACK
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South Australians enjoyed a new dawn on Monday as coronavirus hospitality restrictions were eased.
New rules came into force for a range of industries including hospitality and licenced venues, beauticians and hairdressers as well as gyms.
Industry leaders said the vast majority of the relevant businesses had reopened or would open their doors later on Monday.
For the state’s 6500 hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants, wineries and bars groups of up to 20 patrons can gather in an indoor or outdoor area, capped at 80 people per venue – 10 weeks after they were forced to shut.
Similar restrictions have been placed on gyms and beauty salons, some of which opened just after dawn.
Speaking at the Alma Tavern, Norwood, Premier Steven Marshall – who enjoyed a beer with publican and former Adelaide Crows captain Mark Ricciuto – toasted the new era.
“Day one of phase two and South Australia is open for business,” he said.
“I think people are absolutely delighted that we are moving back towards normality.
“So much of our economy and so much of our way of living is now back and moving towards normality.
“But there is much more on the cards.”
Mr Ricciuto said shutting his venue down was tough and it was even tougher to continually drive by and see it empty with the lights out over recent weeks.
He added having a limit of 80 people at a time would not allow the tavern to make a profit, “but it’s a step closer”.
“A lot of customers have been itching to get back in and have a meal and a beer, so it’s a good day forward,” he said.
“We’re not really looking to make money for another month or so, but that time will come.”
The Premier said officials would explore whether to further ease restrictions for the Showdown in a fortnight, potentially allowing 50 patrons in an area.
But he said a review would occur on the latest easing before any decison was made while the low or no amount of new cases was needed together with high testing.
State Government advice warns 1.5m social distancing rules must be still followed, while there must be at least 4 sqm per person.
Based on SA Health advice, patrons must be seated while drinking.
Up to three inside rooms can be used by 20 patrons along with another outdoor area of the same capacity.
Until now, diners have been allowed to drink alcohol only while seated, and venues were banned from allowing any more than 10 people inside and the same number seated outside at once.
While industry leaders welcomed the latest rule relaxations, they have urged authorities to fast-track increases to venue capacities that would allow significantly more patrons to gather.
Australian Hotels Association SA general manager Ian Horne told the Sunday Mail further changes had to be “fast-tracked as a priority”.
“As an industry we welcome the changes in venue numbers but there is a high expectation of a further easing as soon as possible,” he said.
“We have led the way in terms of the health outcomes.
“Hopefully that can now be translated into economic solutions that allow people to get back into work quicker and money to start flowing into the economy.
“There is an urgency to open up quicker because the current levels are not sustainable for any hotel long-term.”
Industry leaders said many of the state’s 40,000 jobs lost to COVID-19 lockdowns came from the hospitality industry.
Their calls emerged as the state recorded another day of zero new cases, while almost 100,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted.
A British woman became the state’s 440th COVID-19 case last week after being allowed into SA to farewell her dying father.
She was on Saturday night in quarantine in an Adelaide hotel as 25 “close contacts” were also in isolation, after SA Health botched her arrival from Melbourne having missed an email from Victorian officials.
Figures from Consumer Business Services, which handles the state’s licensing applications, show 55 venues, from pubs, sports clubs or wineries, have applied to vary licences.
Of those, 35 new permits for increased space were approved, 13 rejected due to existing licences, and seven are under review.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said both regional and metropolitan venues had asked for new conditions in restaurants, wine bars, pubs and sports clubs.
“We are really pleased to see such a simple idea be taken up by lots of different venues, meaning more South Australians can get out, support local and socially distance,” she said.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said authorities would be closely monitoring venues but would be tolerant of breaches.
Any venue found to be continually flouting rules faces a maximum $5000 fine.
“In the first few days of this new relaxation we would be giving significant advice if there were breaches,” he said.
Labor leader Peter Malinauskas welcomed the easing but criticised rules being “chopped and changed”.
Wakefield Hotel owner Elle Apps was excited: “It has been really tough but we are … looking forward to opening.”
Every man and his dog at the drive-in
New drive-in diehards James Grant and toy spoodle Chino did not let Adelaide’s cold and windy weather Saturday night derail their plans for a long-anticipated return to the movies.
The duo were among a close-to-capacity audience at the state’s only remaining drive-in, the Mainline, at Gepps Cross, for a movie released on Boxing Day last year – Jumanji: The Next Level.
It was a repeat of reopening night 24 hours earlier, with more than 350 cars filing through the gates – the first time since COVID-19 lockdown in March.
Mr Grant, from Kidman Park, decided to “weather the storm” for a night out with friends.
“We’ve been desperate to see a movie and get out of the house,” said Mr Grant who last visited a drive-in almost 18 months ago.
Tameka Wagner and children Maddison, 16, Cooper, 13, and Hunter, 5, were the first to arrive at the Mainline Drive-in Saturday – 60 minutes before gates opened at 5pm – to make sure they got a good spot.
“I think we’re going to need more drive-ins,” said Ms Wagner, from Springton, in the Barossa Valley.
Movie buffs and those in the industry say drive-ins will remain a popular, safer and cheaper choice even after suburban cinemas fully reopen.
Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas reopens its doors tomorrow – claiming to be the first in Australia to start screening movies since the pandemic began.
However, the bulk of SA’s cinemas are set to follow later in the month and July when new movie releases are expected.
“Even after cinemas reopen, I think they will still go to drive-ins,” said UniSA screen studies lecturer Dr Stuart Richards.
“Being in your own car gives you that sense of warmth and comfort, especially in terms of safety, and it’s also an affordable night out.”