Ballina Homestead Motel owners Anke and Michael Fellner struggling in lockdown

Motel and cafe owners Anke and Michael Fellner have lost 15 staff since the regional lockdown was launched as they struggle to keep their business afloat by themselves.

With business at a halt and 15 staff down, lockdown has been difficult for Anke and Michael Fellner.

The owners of the Ballina Homestead Motel and The Proper Cafe and Catering have seen their tourism-based income virtually reduced to takeaway coffee and cake.

“Basically, business has come to a standstill since the lockdown,” Mr Fellner said.

During the lockdown that began in early August, they have had virtually no casual accommodation guests, although they have had some medium-term guests as a result of local rental shortages.

“The accommodation is our core business which is why this statewide lockdown has hit us particularly hard,” he said.

“And of course the hard border closure in Queensland impacts us drastically since traditionally, southeastern Queensland is our biggest market.”

The businesses has been generating some cash flow through takeaway food and drinks, but that doesn’t go far toward covering their operating expenses.

“We had 15 staff employed before Sydney went into lockdown at the end of June,” Mr Fellner said.

“My wife and I are the only two people working at the moment to reduce our operating expenses.”

He said they could not offer their other employees any hours at this time. Thankfully, those staff qualify for state government disaster payments.

This time of year the motel would usually be running at about 70 per cent occupancy, heading toward 85 per cent in October and November.

“We currently have an occupancy rate of below 20 per cent with really no end in sight,” he said.

Mr Fellner said the current situation was hitting businesses like his, reliant on tourism, hard.

“The current environment certainly has been the toughest trading period in my 32 years in hospitality and you could certainly not blame anyone for throwing in the towel,” he said.

“I certainly feel that the regional lockdown has been a very heavy-handed knee jerk reaction by the NSW government just because some Sydney-siders can’t stay home.”

Mr Fellner believes NSW could have dodged a statewide lockdown if main arterial routes out of Sydney were more strictly policed.

State border issues have added to the challenges for this Ballina couple, who have owned the motel for five years.

“The bickering between the states, border closures and conflicting health advice has been the most disappointing side in this pandemic,” Mr Fellner said.

He said a “lack of direction” from the federal government when it came to conflicting state policies had worsened the situation.

“We all need to become Australians again and move forward in the same direction,” he said.

If there has been one silver lining for the Fellners, it’s that Ballina residents have been there to support them during this time.

“The locals have been absolutely fantastic, they are our backbone in this difficult time and we cannot stress enough how absolutely marvellous the support from our regular clientele has been,” Mr Fellner said.

“Some locals pay us for two coffees and only want one, give extra tips … some of their gestures have nearly brought us to tears and is the reason while we are still going.”