Restaurateurs’ relief as lockdown lifts, doors open to diners

Brisbane restaurateurs have breathed a sigh of relief while at the same time scrambling to welcome customers as the city’s Covid-19 lockdown lifted.

Brisbane restaurateurs were awash with relief on Saturday afternoon as they scrambled to be prepare for trade with a few hours of notice.

The announcement that they could open their doors from 6pm last night came after an anxious wait on Saturday morning, glued to their phones seeking clarity on whether they could claw back some lost trade during the first week of school holidays.

La Lune Wine Co owner Paul McGivern had gambled on the lockdown lifting and ordered stock to feed diners at his South Brisbane restaurant.

“It was hard to only have that confirmation at 12pm but we can’t do much about it and we’ve just rolled with the punches,” Mr McGivern said.

La Lune Wine Co owner/chef Paul McGivern at his South Brisbane restaurant on Saturday. Picture: Richard Walker

“We lost almost a week of full bookings so we’re hoping, by being able to trade tonight, we can cover wages for our staff.”

Naga Thai and Libertine owner Andre Baturo said a wave of relief washed over him when he heard confirmation of the lockdown lifting.

He believed it was a tough proposition to get diners through the doors after they had been told to stay home since Tuesday.

“The days this week have just felt like molasses,” he said.

“We’ve been desperately waiting to hear whether we can open but there’s also been anxiety, anticipation and apprehension about what the lockdown means not just for this week but the weeks to come.

“I worry about how the lockdown will impact the momentum we had gained.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Saturday asked businesses to only allow entry to people who had checked in.

“(Even) if it means putting a staff member in to make sure people have checked in,” she said.

“This is vital for our contact tracers especially over this period until July 16 when this mask mandate will end.”

Mr Baturo said that advice should be aimed at supermarkets and department stores.

“The hospitality industry has been at the forefront of those check-ins for months,” Mr Baturo said.

“We double check that people have checked in, we’re checking their screens.”