No instructions, no staff: Venues battle with vax mandate

On day one of Queensland’s vaccination mandate, one of the state’s most popular bars has been evacuated amid a Covid-19 scare.

One of Queensland’s most popular bars has been evacuated after a Covid-19 scare on the first day of the new vaccine mandate.

The Gold Coast’s Burleigh Pavilion – which made headlines earlier this week after copping abuse from anti-vaxxers when management vowed to strictly enforce the new regulations limiting entry to double-jabbed patrons – was cleared out just before 6pm.

A sign posted on the door later revealed the venue had been closed for a deep clean and testing of staff after being reported as a casual-contact venue for a confirmed Covid-19 case.

Earlier, large crowds gathered at the popular beachfront venue, with security guards on the front door insisting on seeing the vaccination status of guests before they were allowed in.

Queensland Health declared the Burleigh Pavilion a casual-contact exposure site for Friday, December 10, between 9.33pm and 11.59pm.

And two tattoo parlours, several grocery stores and a pharmacy were declared exposure sites at Noosa and Noosaville on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Burleigh Pavilion management declined to comment when approached by The Courier-Mail.

It capped a taxing first day for venue owners across the Coast and the state as the vaccination mandate came into force.

Hospitality workers were bracing for issues and abuse with the new rules requiring patrons to show proof they’d been double-vaccinated.

The scene at Burleigh Pavilion earlier today. Picture: Jerad Williams

And the state was forced back into a mask-wearing mandate starting from 1am tomorrow.

Along Boundary St in Brisbane’s West End this evening, the double-vaccinated were seen enjoying work Christmas parties and Friday drinks.

West End hotelier Grant Morgan said his security team had turned away 26 anti-vaxxers who had attempted to enter his licensed premises, but they had left when asked.

“For what numbers we do through this hotel, that’s pretty good,” Mr Morgan said.

A security guard at another West End venue said he had only had to turn one patron away because she had only received one shot.

“She was fine, she was a bit upset because she had a work function on but I told her ‘look it’s law’ I need that double shot and wasn’t happy but she did go,” he said.

“For the most part it’s been OK, but it’s early days yet so we’ll see.”

A Felons Brewing Co staffer said that she turned away five people and dealt with “major” problems with the check-in app over the course of the day.

“I had to turn away five people this afternoon because they didn’t realise that the mandate started today,” she said.

She said it was the check-in app, however, that had been the main cause of grief throughout the day for the venue.

The staffer, who wished to not be named, said that patrons had been checking in without their vaccination status linked to the app and then not understanding how to do so, or in some cases, able to at all.

“People have been having major app problems,” she said.

“And so we’ve been having major app problems.”

Fully vaccinated patrons (from left) Nick Avery, Tenesha Roue, Aiden Clark and Ethan Elms at Catchment Brewing Co in Brisbane’s West End on Friday evening. Picture: Josh Woning

She said her only job for the day was to ask patrons for their digital green vaccination tick, but had instead spent a large part helping them navigate an app that was “just not co-operating”.

“Their vaccination status just isn’t linking to the app, or it’s taking them ages to do it.”

She said that crowds had been relatively quiet and therefore app troubles had not increased queue time.

Earlier, a barista at a cafe on Brisbane’s trendy James St, Fortitude Valley, who did not wish to be named, said it was a logistical nightmare.

“It’s logistically challenging when you don’t have as many staff to check everyone,” she said.

“I haven’t received any instructions from my boss either”.

A Bec and Bridge retail worker said they will be enforcing the statewide mask mandate tomorrow.

“We just got the email and yes we will be enforcing it,” she said.

A handful of people have already been spotted wearing masks on James St.

While others who were asked about tomorrow’s mandate said they didn’t even know the mandate was making a return.

After a Courier-Mail journalist explained the increased number of cases and exposure sites they said it made sense a mask mandate should be reinforced.

One retail punter said masks may be the new normal.

“There’s going to be more cases so I don’t see the mask mandate lifting anytime soon,” he said.

Kirilea Gray, bar manager at The Jack hotel shows correct proof of vaccination on the Check In Qld app. Picture: Brendan Radke

Manager of Spoon Deli Cafe on James St, Flavia Lima, said she would be ensuring her customers were checking in and had a green tick for their vaccination status.

“We will be requiring everyone to have their double dose and to check in,” Ms Lima said.

“There hasn’t been any issues so far but it’s only been the first hour”.

She said the unvaccinated can’t eat at the cafe but they can order take away

“They will need to wait outside,” she said.

The manager said she would making sure everyone was checking in and not harassing her staff.

Bellissimo Coffee manager Maria Yoshi said the venue had been compliance-checking at the counter.

“Most people have been doing the right thing so far,” Ms Yoshi said.

“They’ve been very considerate; if they’re unvaccinated they are ordering outside and waiting in the outside.

“We have an outside seating area where they can actually wait.”

Ms Yoshi said she’s been trying to prepare her staff for the verbal abuse ahead due to some negative customer complications during the mask mandate.

Joedy’s Cafe New Farm’s Wendy Phan said about four people were turned away after they were unable to show their vaccination status.

“We turned away four people because they only had one dose,” she said.

“Another one had trouble showing their vaccination status because they forgot their password to their MyGov account, it took them some time to get it.”

Ms Phan said people had been compliant throughout the day.

“So far so good.”

Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Meanwhile, the arrival of the mandate has been anti-climatic on the Gold Coast, with police so far not called to attend a single business to deal with hostile or belligerent customers.

Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said police had spent the morning inspecting venues for compliance on the new regulations, which require hospitality businesses to ask for people’s proof of vaccination as a condition of entry, but there had so far been no fines issued for either venue owners or customers.

By late morning, no businesses had made complaints to police over hostile customers refusing to abide by the new mandate, which had been a fear heading into the new regime.

Acting Chief Supt Wildman said police had been proactive in the days leading up to the introduction of the mandate, informing business owners of their rights and responsibilities regarding the new regulations and there had so far been no issues.

Gold Coast cyclist and business owner Robbie McEwen has vowed to enforce the vaccine mandates. Picture: Jerad Williams

Gold Coast cycling legend and cafe owner Robbie McEwen said he would enforce the state’s new vaccine mandate, saying he can’t afford a $14,000 fine to serve someone a $4 coffee.

McEwen, a mainstay of the Tour de France during the early 2000s, now runs the successful Piccolo Espresso cafe at Miami.

He posted on social media that his business would be enforcing the new vaccine mandate, imploring customers to “be kind” to his staff.

“With all due respect, we aren’t prepared to cop a $13,785 fine to serve a $4 coffee to someone who made the choice not to vax,” he wrote.

“Please be kind to our staff – they don’t make the rules. Check in, show your ticks, enjoy.”

However, The Courier-Mail observed a lukewarm response from several venues to the new mandate.

While signs about the new entry requirements were prominently displayed, few customers were directly asked for their vaccination status or to check in at several cafes.

Others have been more defiant, boldly declaring they would not enforce the new requirements.

Acting Chief Supt Wildman said those businesses could expect visits from police.

The operational manager of multiple high-end dining restaurants along Eagle St Pier said that Friday has been running “without major hiccups” but some patrons were “frustrated” with the check in app.

The manager of Rico Bar and Dining, Opa Bar and Meze, Massimo Restaurant and Bar, George’s Paragon Seafood and Fatcow Steak and Lobster said that the lunch service had gone as well as they could hope for under the circumstances.

“At the end of the day it is what it is and we just have to work together and just comply as much as possible,” he said.

The man, who wished to not be named, said that the day had been running “relatively smoothly” but some patrons, mainly elderly, struggled connecting their proof of vaccination to the check-in app.

“Some people get frustrated when they have to go through the additional process,” he said

“It makes it a little bit hard, especially with older people who might not have the technology.”

He said that all of their staff had been patient with elderly patrons and helped them to connect their proof of vaccination to their app, or asked them to show proof via paper documents.

“They’re (the elderly) trying to understand how and why, but you just have to be patient.”