Gympie Businesses call for easing of Covid restrictions

A number of Gympie businesses are calling for clearer and less restrictive Covid rules, saying the State’s regulations are leaving them exposed to the risk of snap shutdowns and verbal abuse.

Desert Dream Boutique hasn't been impacted heavily by restrictions.

Gympie businesses are calling for clearer and less restrictive Covid regulations saying the current rules have given rise to problems including verbal abuse and the potential for snap shutdowns.

The rules were introduced on December 17 by the State Government in its plan to reopen borders and manage spread of the virus.

Under the restrictions only vaccinated staff are allowed in indoor hospitality venues, and masks are mandatory inside most indoor venues.

Bunker Smokehouse and Bar and Grace and Whiskers cafe owner Jarrod Dan said the rules had an impact on his business.

“In terms of revenue, especially the cafe, have noticed a decline”, he said.

Grace and Whiskers now only operates exclusively as a takeaway business to prevent a seven-day shut down from contact tracing.

“If we get a close or casual contact, due to the time of year it is, my entire team is on at once,” he said.

But while the restrictions were tough, he said it was simply a rough patch that they will get past.

Mr Dan said that he believed had the Government held off opening the borders until after Christmas, businesses wouldn’t be struggling as much as they are now.

“If they had done it after January it would have been a totally different story,” he said.

Patrick’s Casket & Newsagency owner Peter Patrick said the restrictions were what got the ball rolling for his unexpected retirement from the shop he had run for almost 55 years.

“The amount of people who come in have been reduced, and in this business, you need a lot of people and a lot of turnover to keep it mobile- and when they restrict the amount of people who come into the store, we’re knocking our head up against the brick wall straight away,” Mr patrick said.

He had to close the store because he just couldn’t do it anymore, he said.

Jarrod Dan and Lauren Langley, owners of The Bunker

Ket Naphat-Chuenjai, who owns Batik Boutique on Mary St said the rules had little impact on customer numbers.

“There’s been lots of customers, very busy,” she said.

The possibility of a forced closure was a concern, she said, as was, refusing unvaccinated customers into the store due to the constant verbal abuse.

She keeps a mask stash behind the counter and was happy to provide any customer with a free mask if they do not have one upon arrival.

“It’s not good for the customers, or me. But it’s important customers wear masks correctly in the store,” she said.

Concerns about the restrictions were not shared by everyone, though.

Desert Dream Boutique hasn't been impacted heavily by restrictions.

Owner of Cazsec Rose on Mary St, Roslyn Di Ruggiero, said she had no plans to adhere to the Covid mandate anytime soon.

“To be honest, ever since this whole thing started I haven’t done anything the government has told me to do,” she said.

“ Nobody has told me I can or can’t, I haven’t got a QR code or anything else.”

For two years she has operated without a Covid plan and refuses to implement any government measures.

Desert Dream Boutique store owner Brooke (who declined to give her last name) said she had not noticed a difference.

“I think more people are frustrated in this industry, but it hasn’t really affected me,” she said.

She was concerned about closing and contact tracing but said at the end of the day it was just one of those things.

Batik Boutique provides free masks upon arrival.