How small business came back from COVID brink

The Mackay small business is gaining strength after losing about $250,000 amid the pandemic

AMID the pandemic Mackay business owner Hannah Guerin looked at the books and thought there was no way she could keep her hotel running if things continued.

Miss Guerin has run the beachside resort Ocean International for 17 years.

She said she lost about $250,000 this year after the function and restaurant arm of the business closed over two months.

“It happened overnight and was almost instant,” she said.

“The restaurant was closed, weddings were cancelled.

“The worst thing for us was that we were looking at such a promising year, it was amazing much better than we’ve had in the last 10 years.”

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Ocean International is one of 60 Mackay business that received a State Government Small Business COVID-Adaption Grants.

Miss Guerin said the $9100 grant would enable upgrades to the hotel website and online ordering system and help fund a social marketing campaign.

“Every time the phone rang it was ‘sorry’ and refunding money or cancelling reservations,” she said.

“I was the only person rattling around the hotel on a couple of occasions on the night.

“There certainly was a point where you think ‘if this keeps going’.

“Your overheads are still there … you have to keep the lights on. There were some very sleepless nights. ”

Through the pandemic, Miss Guerin had to lay off 22 of her 30 staff and has been able to get 20 of her staff back to work.

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The grants of a maximum $10,000 are available to businesses impacted by the coronavirus looking to adapt their business or take advantage of new opportunities.

Small Business Minister Shannon Fentiman visited Mackay to host a Jobs and Skills Roadshow for local businesses.

She said supporting small businesses was a large part of the State Government’s coronavirus recovery plan.