COVID-19: Central Coast pubs and clubs banning people from Sydney

As news of The Bayview Hotel Woy Woy’s ban of Sydneysiders and Victorians hit headlines last week, it appears many other clubs and pubs are already implementing a “local people only” rule.

Many clubs and hotels across the coast are applying a “locals only” rule.

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A growing number of venues on the Central Coast are making the move to ban city slickers.

Ettalong Diggers has banned residents from 303 Sydney suburbs affected by COVID-19 – and the list is growing every day.

The popular club is one of many clubs and hotels across the Central Coast adopting the same or similar “local only” strategies to combat the spread of the virus, according to Brisbane Water Liquor Accord executive Bill Jackson.

“There are a lot of clubs and hotels that have restricted access to local people only,” Mr Jackson, who is also general manager of Diggers, said.

Ettalong Diggers is currently banning residents from 303 Sydney suburbs. Picture: Troy Snook

“The Liquor Accord strongly supports anybody that wants to do it. We currently have 303 suburbs of Sydney barred from coming to Ettalong Diggers. Even if they are staying at the Mantra next door, if they are a resident of one of those suburbs they can’t come in.”

It comes as The Bayview Hotel in Woy Woy hit headlines last week after announcing a ban of all Sydneysiders and Victorians from the hotel “until further notice”.

“It’s for the protection of our customers,” manager Chris Mills told the Express.

“It’s our responsibility to look after the local community in the current climate. We need to take steps to stop an outbreak here, it’s happening all around us. We don’t want to end up with a situation like Melbourne where nobody is allowed out of their house come 8pm.”

The Bayview Hotel Woy Woy manager Chris Mills said the decision to ban Sydneysiders and Victorians was for the safety of locals.

The Charing Cross Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Waverley hit back at the move via social media over the weekend, indicating it would ban all Woy Woy residents in response to the move.

“In light of the Bayview Hotel Woy Woy’s decision to ban Sydney residents for community health precautions, the management of the Charo have made the decision to ban all residents of Woy Woy for cultural reasons until further notice. You stay up there and we’ll stay down here,” the post, which has since been taken down, read.

Ettalong Diggers general manager Bill Jackson.

Mr Jackson said the Bayview Hotel’s decision was by no means a one off.

“Of the 39 clubs across the coast, about half of them have gone to half of Sydney not being allowed,” he said.

“Many hotels are doing the same. I congratulate (Bayview Hotel owners) Gary and Kerry for making sure their community stays safe.”

He said another lockdown across the coast would mean “curtains” for a lot of hospitality venues.

“A lot of them would not reopen or have to look at amalgamation,” he said.

“What a lot of venues are doing, including here at the Diggers, is watching daily COVID-19 hot spots and then adjusting our rules to suit.”