Torrensville businesses shut down under new Federal Government anti-virus measures
Businesses along Henley Beach Rd are shrinking to takeaway only or closing completely, as the local Centrelink fills up. The stark difference is indicative of what’s happening around the country.
West & Beaches
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- Today’s local coronavirus wrap
- Pubs and clubs forced to shut down
- Strict new measures turn city into ghost town
Henley Beach Road at Torrensville is a microcosm of the devastation being wrought on retailers and hospitality operators by the coronavirus pandemic.
From the iconic Thebarton Theatre to the five star Parwana Restaurant, doors have been abruptly shut under the new rules introduced by the Federal Government.
In the space of 24 hours, the once busy front bar of the working class Royal Hotel to the uber cool hipster hangout, the Mile End Hotel, have been closed.
A visit by The Advertiser on Monday afternoon found barbers cutting the hair of solitary customers, manicure clinics empty, people spacing themselves as they waited for ATMs and more than 50 people queueing outside the Torrensville Centrelink.
With gaming machines and hotel TAB outlets off limits to gamblers, the TAB still had customers but management were unsure how long they would remain open.
“It’s a day by day proposition,” one worker said.
“We are classed as retail, not hospitality, so we have been able to stay open, but for how much longer, who knows. There’s a fight going on about it at the moment.”
Three doors up, Banh Mi Café owner Hung Nguyen had packed up his indoor furniture and put a “takeaway only” sign on his door.
“It is really sad and very worrying but we are not the only ones in this predicament,” he said.
“Everybody is hurting and we can only hope that things will get better soon.”
Similar notices, telling customers only takeaway was available, were on the doors of other cafes, such as Fasta Pasta, Who’s Fa Coffee, Saray Café, Cibo and Yum Ya Thai.
Not staying open for takeaway were Pixie and the Hawk owners Rhys and Emma Davis, who decided to cut their losses.
“We closed at 1pm,” said Mr Davis.
“It’s just not viable for us to continue.”
Mrs Davis said the State Government needed to move faster to provide help for small businesses to cover rent and utility costs.
“They have just too moved too slow, compared to other states,” she said.
Asked what the couple planned to do, a shattered Mr Davis replied: “Looks like we are going across the road to join the others at Centrelink.”
One nearby business doing well was Mile End Office Furniture, which has been struggling to keep up with demand for home office equipment, especially desks, since the weekend.
Also busy was Western Clinic where various patients, many wearing face masks, were waiting in its clinic or outside in its car park for medical attention.
Doing a brisker trade were a butcher cutting up a fresh side of lamb and two Asian supermarkets, which still had plenty of rice, dumplings, spring rolls, dim sims and Asian vegetables.
Surprisingly, one agency which had no customers was APM Employment Services, which shared the same office block as Centrelink.
No doubt things will change very soon for its owners as the economic impact of the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc.