Coronavirus: Gold Coast venues worried COVID-19 pandemic will force them to close

Gold Coast hospitality operators are slashing hours, axing staff and are anxious about being told to shut down operations.

GLITTER Strip hospitality bosses are still attracting punters but one bigwig admits a New York-style shutdown is inevitable or “too many people are going to die”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is today expected to slash his limit on indoor static gatherings of 500-plus down to as few as 100 people. The latest anticipated phase of Australia’s battle plan to slow the virus will put unprecedented restrictions on pubs, cinemas and large restaurants.

The mayor of New York – the city that never sleeps – ordered a shutdown of all nightclubs, movie theatres and concert venues this week.

Patrick Gennari, who owns Loose Moose, the Roosevelt Lounge bar, Koi and Glass restaurant, is playing the waiting game, like many working in hospitality. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Bars, restaurants and nightclubs are still trading across the Gold Coast but Broadbeach hospitality king Patrick Gennari said a complete shutdown was inevitable or else “too many people are going to die”.

Mr Gennari, who owns Loose Moose, the Roosevelt Lounge bar and Koi plus Glass restaurant at Marina Mirage, said: “We’ve been talking about … when do you pull the trigger? I guess we’ll wait and see what the customers want.

“If it gets too quiet it’s going to cost me more money to stay open than shut everything. But we also want to make sure our staff and customers are safe. Hygiene is our number one concern, to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.”

Miami Marketta is limiting numbers, but is still open for the time being. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“We’re trying not to fill up places too much and have a bit of distance between everyone. The last thing I want is for one of my customers to catch the coronavirus at one of my (venues).”

Mr Gennari employs 200 staff and said if forced to close he’d have to let casual staff go.

He hoped banks would ease up on landlords so they could ease up on tenants such as himself paying “enormous” rents.

Last week Koi reopened after a $1.3 million refurbishment and Mr Gennari said it was packed with locals on Sunday despite the “bad timing”.

In Surfers Paradise, Artesian Hospitality partner Matt Keegan said his stable of White Rhino Bar & Eats plus Orchid Avenue nightclubs Sin City, The Bedroom and Havana were trading as per usual.

“A lot of businesses are asking staff to work from home which means they are getting pretty cooped up and they want to go out to drink or eat.

“There’s also a lot of people we are finding who are domestically travelling. We’re not really seeing any changes in terms of trading figures, patronage or anything.”

Surfers Paradise craft beer bar House of Brews remained open with manager Iain McKie saying he told staff this week: “It’s business as usual until we are told we can’t trade.

Miami Marketta venue manager Carrington Collier reminds patrons they can still get a well-deserved drink during the strange times we’re all living through. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“We did send out a message to staff (Monday) saying we don’t know what’s going to happen. Unfortunately the casual staff will be the ones who suffer most. There will be a lot living week to week.”

Hollywood Showgirls, which operates seven nights a week, has already decided to close Mondays and Tuesdays.

Miami Marketta, which has up to 25 food stall vendors and a capacity of 1400 is trading but since Mr Morrison announced a mass gatherings ban for 500-plus, they were limiting numbers.

Miami Marketta part-owner Emma Milikins said: “We just want people to know we are taking precautions and following government recommendations.

“We’re modelling what everything else is happening – the casino is still open, the shopping centres and theme parks are still open.

Broadbeach was unusually quiet over the weekend. Picture: Mike Batterham

“It’s hard for us as we have a lot of casual staff and we’ve cancelled four gigs this week.

“At the moment we are just keeping a positive frame of mind, not getting too doom and gloom, because it will change. Like the old saying ‘This too shall pass’.”

Miami Marketta will continue trading on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

“The vendors are small businesses. They want to trade, they want to see their regular customers,” Mrs Milikins said.

“Until we can’t be open, they’re begging us to stay open. We are their main source of income.

“We can’t encourage people to come and support us because if someone does get sick and we’ve said ‘Come out to support us’, then we are liable.

“We’re being socially responsible. If you’re not unwell, come out. But if you are unwell stay home. It is commonsense. Hopefully it passes quickly.”