Struggling NSW hospitality sector desperate for isolation exemptions

Restaurant owners say the current NSW Covid situation is worse than the lockdowns — and this time there’s no financial relief or customers in sight.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has left the door open on extending the government’s new isolation exemptions to the hospitality industry following growing calls from businesses who are “bleeding cash” under NSW’s self-imposed lockdown.

Hospitality leaders said despite the government holding off on more restrictions, customers are bunkering down inside their homes — leaving businesses to fork out thousands in rent and overhead costs.

Under new changes to the state’s isolation rules, “critical workers” in the food and cleaning supply chains will be able to skip isolation if they become a close contact as long as they test negative to the virus and are not symptomatic.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet speak to the media during a press conference at Nepean Hospital. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Mr Perrottet said he was open to extending the isolation exemptions to other industries as the situation evolved.

“This change today will ensure we secure those important and crucial distribution networks,” he said.

“We are constantly assessing the evolving situations in front of us. Where we can make changes, we will. NSW Health works with all the industries right across the board… As we continue to move through, we might have to make further changes.

“For a lot of those industries, ultimately, the best thing we can do is remain open.”

Restaurant and Catering Industry Association CEO Wes Lambert

Luke Mangan at his restaurant Glass Brasserie. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Minutes after the announcement was made on Sunday, Restaurants and Catering Industry Association chief executive Wes Lambert contacted the state government pushing for the exemption to be extended to the hard-hit hospitality sector.

“Ultimately, while they have acknowledged the receipt of the request, they continue to consult and monitor and hopefully they will see what we see. The hospitality industry is continuing to be hammered as consumer spending plummets.”

Restaurateur Luke Mangan will lend his voice to the cause by writing to Mr Perrottet, asking him to step in with financial assistance.

David Bitton from Bitton Restaurant in Rose Bay. Picture: Supplied

“The government will need to step in, and I will be raising it tomorrow with the Premier as it’s almost as bad as a lockdown,” he said.

“There needs to be some sort of support for small businesses with no customers but the same overheads. They are still paying rent and customers are just not going out.”

David Bitton, who owns three eponymous restaurants across Sydney, backed calls for the isolation exemptions to be extended to hospitality.

“This is worse than the lockdown. At least we could do take out, there is no support in any way, no jobseeker, no jobsaver, no support for rent. I can’t run (my restaurants) at night because I have no staff,” he said.

“No one is coming out, no one is going to restaurants, no one wants to catch Covid. Everyone has pressed the panic button. We are just bleeding cash.

“This is crazy, I’m not blaming anyone but there is no light at the end of the tunnel.”