Covid restrictions Gold Coast: What the restrictions mean for popular venues and tourism numbers
Gold Coast hospitality venues and tourism bosses are frustrated again after a few days of eased restrictions as the Queensland Government reinstates the old rules. SEE WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN >>>>
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GOLD Coast tourism bosses are pleading for interstate travellers to keep coming to the city, as the Covid-19 outbreak delivers a devastating blow to the winter school holidays.
South Australia closed its borders to Queensland late on Sunday afternoon in the latest hit for local operators who will miss out on significant income from cancellations.
Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT remained open at deadline.
Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the situation was “moving every hour” for the city’s biggest sector.
“What we are focused on is that we are still open for business, but what is happening now down south is having an impact,” she said.
“We have a lot of capacity and great deals so if anyone is looking for a getaway, now is the time to come to the Gold Coast.”
More than 5000 visitors from Melbourne arrived on the Gold Coast on Friday as Sydney went into lockdown.
Despite the loss of NSW visitors, hotel occupancy rates are holding at 60-70 per cent.
John Warn, Gold Coast-based chief operating officer of hotel chain Accor Pacific, said there were “many good deals” available.
“Where people in NSW are impacted by travel restrictions and are postponing trips, we are seeing Queenslanders and Victorians swooping in to make bookings,” he said. “There are a number of great deals on offer for those wanting a winter holiday.”
The latest Covid outbreak is the second such blow in six months, coming after the Christmas outbreak in eastern Sydney cost the Gold Coast $215m in lost revenue.
Pre-Covid, Sydney tourists were worth more than $110m during the July-September quarter.
Gold Coast Airport boss Chris Mills said there had been a wave of flight cancellations.
“Each school holidays period for the past 18 months we have had to approach different because there has been something going on,” he said.
“We would love to have a holidays where everything is open and we were thinking it was going to be this one.
“Up until last week the airport was expected to have traffic at around 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels, but things have obviously fallen since then.”
Mr Mills said strong Victorian tourist numbers would help cushion the blow of the NSW lockdown.
“On Friday last week we had 14 Sydney flights cancelled,” he said.
“But at the same time we had 23 flights from Melbourne which were largely full.”
Mr Mills, who last year was forced to deal with the number of incoming flights falling by 99 per cent at the height of the first lockdown, said he hoped for a rapid recovery in tourist numbers once the current crisis passed.
HOSPITALITY OWNERS FRUSTRATED AFTER QLD GOVERNMENT REINSTATES OLD RESTRICTIONS
Gold Coast hospitality owners are frustrated again after a few days of eased restrictions as the Queensland Government reinstates the old rules.
Operators say it’s a “kick in the pants, again” after the one patron per two square metre rule was eased last week.
On Friday at midnight the Palaszczuk government eased it out to three people per four square metres but has now reverted back after three days.
From 6am Monday the original restrictions will be put in place following two new Queensland cases and a Bondi cluster growing to 110 cases.
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Small bar king Scott Imlach said Night Jar and Nightcap was filled with high spirits on Saturday night but he was frustrated to see it return to what it was.
“It’s a kick in the pants, again,” he said.
“We just got going, we hired a couple more staff and we have to lay them off again.
“The outbreak started last week they should have just left it the way it was before.”
He said he was suspicious about the restrictions going into play just hours after the State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night: “It always seems to be targeted at the hospitality industry.”
Artesian Hospitality partner Matt Keegan, who has The Bedroom Lounge Bar, Sin City nightclub, White Rhino and the Surfers Pavilio said he was frustrated and upset by the regression to the old rules.
“I understand the need to be vigilant, but with only two cases of community transmission, this seems like a kneejerk over-reaction,” he said.
“It’s equally disappointing to see blanket restrictions put in place for what should be a localised response. Livelihoods must start being considered.”
A Star Gold Coast spokesman confirmed it would revert to restrictions lifted just two days earlier. But Mamma Mia! would be unaffected and continue at 100 per cent capacity as it is a ticketed, seated event.
JUNE 20: ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’: Restrictions easing
GOLD Coast hospitality venues are clinking a “cheers” to the Palaszczuk Government after it moved to further ease patron restriction saying “any changes are welcome”.
The Queensland State Government announced the one patron per two square metre rule will ease to three patrons per four square metres for restaurants, cafes and pubs at 1am on Friday.
It effectively means venues can now have 1.5 patrons per two square metres of space.
Artesian Hospitality partner Matt Keegan - whose stable includes Sin City, Bedroom and Havana nightclubs plus White Rhino Bar & Eats and Surfers Pavilion said the night-life on the Gold Coast would benefit immensely from the eased restrictions.
“We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “The restrictions around one per two square metres were very difficult.
“Being able to go back to what is effectively 75 per cent capacity will enable us to operate more like what we did pre-pandemic,” Mr Keegan said.
He was humbled by the support from locals and tourists and thankful for the Queensland Government making necessary changes, he said.
“Given we handled the pandemic so well it’s good to see the government making these changes which allow us to see venues have more staff and trade more frequently.
“I’m buoyed by the support from Queensland people travelling and supporting local businesses.
“There is a real positivity for everybody, even throughout our usual tough period in winter.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about what the future holds,” he said.
Gold Coast small bar king and restaurant owner Scott Imlach was thrilled after struggling with previous restrictions.
“It’s a 50 per cent increase for us. We’re happy with that,” he said.
“It’s excellent news because it needed to be done. The hospitality industry has been left behind compare to sporting arenas.
“The poor old live music industry has died because of it,” Mr Imlach said.
The ripple affect from the eased restrictions would help save supply Gold Coasters’ jobs.
“It’s going to ease up on our end having an extra 25 people in our venues,” Mr Imlach said.
“It means we can put on more staff on and we will sell more beer from the local breweries.
“It rolls down the whole chain,” he said.
“I’m still waiting to get back to full capacity but well take three quarters,” he said.
“All the pressure everyone has put on the government, they're starting to listen -
very impressed with the extension.”
Queensland Health accused of ‘bullying’ Coast venue owner
THE founder of a popular Gold Coast live music venue is accusing Queensland Health of “bullying” over social distancing gripes - and fears a devastating shutdown at any moment.
Hard on the heels of ex-Gold Coast venue NightQuarter’s forced closure when health authorities and police stormed the relocated Sunshine Coast venue on Friday night, Miami Marketta’s Emma Milikins said the industry was now riddled with uncertainty.
She is on edge about Marketta’s immediate future after a call from the Queensland Health requesting her COVID-19 policies - she told the Bulletin she knew the call was prompted due to facing a complaint.
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“When I spoke to them I said it would be great if it was transparent. If we could sit with that person (who complained) and they can explain to us their fears, we can try and fix it.”
Queensland Health have a complaint-driven policy, in which they call a venue if a patron raises a concern - and then check venue policies to ensure they are following protocol.
“There is a new nervousness in the industry with the health department,” Ms Milikins said.
“I am more nervous now than I was this time last year when we were in the pandemic.
“It starts to mess with your mental health because it feels like your industry doesn’t mean anything to people.
”And then you go ‘Why am I risking all of this to feel like this’. It’s just such a tricky time,” she said.
Ms Milikins said no COVID specific plan existed for live music venues. At Marketta, it had two separate sets of protocols - one for the daytime market day and another for live shows based on square metre restrictions.
But she said her experience on the phone to Queensland Health made her feel “worthless” and she described the phone call as “heavy-handed”.
“I can’t say it’s anything less than bullying when Queensland Health call up, I don’t know if it’s their tactic or what.
“I just said ‘You don’t need to talk to me like that, what am I doing wrong?’,” she said.
A Queensland Health spokesman said: “We understand the owner may have been frustrated that we could not reveal the identity of the complainant. Queenslanders can rest assured we will not breach their privacy.
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“We have a responsibility to follow up with a business when we receive a complaint from the public about not adhering to public health directions. The business has not been shut down, fined or issued a formal warning, and all communications have been very amicable.”
Ms Milikins reignited a live music and cultural wave on the Gold Coast 10 years ago, creating a space for up-and-coming artists to begin their career as well as housing global street fare. But she said recently she felt like all her work was for nothing.
Ms Milikins said her experience with Queensland Health worried her especially as Miami Marketta were funding the Miami Street Art Surface Festival on July 11.
“The street component wont be affected (if Marketta is shut down) but it’s a self-funded festival,” Ms Milikins said.
“The idea was we will pay for the artists by the events that happen at Marketta and if it is taken away we will have no funding,” she said.
Music industry luminaries including Powerfinger's Bernard Fanning have backed a petition calling on the Queensland Government to end the double standard around stricter restrictions on live music venues and hospitality compared to live sport.
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