Glimmer of hope for industries as new restrictions kick in

Hope is starting to shine through the cracks created by the coronavirus chasm for two of the Sunshine Coast’s hardest hit industries.

Taste review - Rice Boi at The Wharf Mooloolaba. Dish: BBQ ocean trout in banana leaf. Pic Mark Cranitch.

HOPE is starting to shine through the cracks created by the coronavirus chasm for two of the Sunshine Coast's hardest hit industries.

The global pandemic delivered a hammer blow to the region's hospitality and tourism sectors with businesses and operators forced to close for months.

Some were able to survive running on takeaway or reduced dining options however many closed their doors.

But with the State Government announcing yesterday that restrictions would relax, many have rejoiced.

From midday today, unlimited travel will be allowed, and pubs, restaurants and cafes with multiple seating areas will be allowed to seat at least 20 people in each of those areas.

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Mooloolaba Chamber of Commerce president Graeme Juniper said the restrictions being accelerated was a massive boost for the struggling businesses.

"It enables Queensland to get on with business a bit sooner. We look forward to the bars and restaurants back open to full extent as soon as possible," Mr Juniper said.

"It's great that authorities have looked closer on the restraints to places with street and internal dining.

"Just for people's mental health it will be great to have them operating again.

"However it's important to remember that for some businesses they still can't function with only 20 patrons."

Aaron and Kym-Sarah Ruttan at KiKi Bar in Maroochydore.

Mr Juniper said he hoped this latest announcement meant the state was one step closer to opening its borders.

"So many businesses have been operating at a loss," he said.

For popular Mooloolaba eatery Riceboi, the restrictions mean the 500sq m venue can triple its seating capacity.

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"We now seat 20 people in the restaurant, 20 in the beer garden and 20 upstairs," co-owner Tony Kelly said.

"So it is certainly good news for us. It's essentially three times better than what it was.

"The support we have had has been unbelievably good. From the second we reopened two weeks ago people supported us."

Mr Kelly said the latest restrictions would help "trigger" the reopening of another of his establishments, Spiro, and in turn hire more staff.

"At the moment I am placing an add on Gumtree as we speak," he said.

Fellow restaurateur Aaron Ruttan, who owns Maroochydore's Kiki Bar and Eatery, said he expected bookings to start flooding in on the back of the announcements.

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He had been planning to re-open on June 12 and will have to scramble to organise bookings.

"It's a welcome headache," Mr Ruttan said.

The 130sq m venue will be able to have 30 people for each sitting.

"We aren't quite back to 100 per cent, I'd say around 60-80 per cent turnover," he said.

"Staff wise we have room for more. It is so much better than how things looked a month ago.

"It was such a ride. We did enjoy a bit of time off but with no cash coming in and such a cloud of the industry as a whole was very hard."

Rice boi Mooloolaba staff excited about the reopeningJosefine Skarstrom looking forward to welcoming customers.

Visit Sunshine Coast chair David Ryan said the tourism industry was facing a "very bleak" winter period.

While Mr Ryan welcomed the restrictions being lifted, he hoped that it would help fast track the borders being reopened.

It is understood borders will not be reopened for another month.

"The news from many of our accommodation operators across the Coast is that June and July are looking very bleak in terms of occupancies - as low as 10-15 per cent in Mooloolaba, when normally they would be trading over 70 per cent," Mr Ryan said.

"Ideally, we would be able to access business from the southern states over winter, though we are equally conscious that the Premier needs to base decisions on the best medical advice.

"What our operators need most of all is certainty and we'd ask that if the Premier receives the appropriate medical clearance to re-open borders, the industry is given as much advance notice as possible to gear-up for the potential influx of interstate visitors."

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