Townsville business owners weigh in on binning of mask mandate as restrictions continue to ease
Townsville’s hospitality sector has welcomed today’s mask news, but warned that it could take a surprising length of time before things are back to normal.
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HOSPITALITY business owners and publicans have welcomed the further relaxation of Covid restrictions across Queensland, but believe there’s still more to be done.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement that masks and density restrictions would no longer be enforced in hospitality venues and other businesses from Friday, March 4.
C-Bar operator Allan Pike welcomed the move, saying the imposition of restrictions had been difficult for businesses to bear.
“I think it’s a great first step towards normality,” Mr Pike said.
“For us, we’ve been singled out in the hospitality industry, we’ve been the main businesses affected by this.
“At the moment, we still have to monitor check-ins, but this will make things easier for us, particularly with the international borders opening, I do think it’s a good thing. People will know that they won’t have to wear masks when they come to visit Townsville.”
Alongside hospitality venues, shops, workplaces and schools will also no longer require masks to be worn.
Density limits will be scrapped for weddings, funerals, gyms and private events.
Hospitals, public transport, prisons, aged care facilities, disability accommodation, airports and planes will still require masks to be worn while indoors.
In addition to making things more comfortable, Mr Pike said the relaxation of restrictions would free up resources for business owners.
“Every announcement that’s been made with new restrictions has come with costs for businesses like ours, whether we’re putting on staff to make sure people are wearing masks or verifying vaccination status,” Mr Pike said.
“There’s been a cost associated with making sure we’re doing everything we’ve been asked to do right.”
While Mr Pike welcomed the most recently announced changes, he was still hoping to see more restrictions eased, particularly regarding vaccination status.
“I would like to see the other restrictions go away. It’s strange that you can cross the border without a vaccination, but you can’t go anywhere once you do,” Mr Pike said.
“If we can get that right, we’ll be headed in the right direction.”
Mad Cow manager Mark Napier said the announced changes would go at least some way to putting hospitality back on a level playing field.
“We’d encourage the state to drop all restrictions at this point,” Mr Napier said.
“It needs to be equal opportunity for all businesses. There’s no sense to why unvaccinated people should be stopped from working at or entering our premises when we have a 90 per cent vaccination rate.”
Mr Napier said the removal of mask mandates would allow venues like his to plan events with more certainty.
“The mask rules had the public in a bit of fear and definitely hesitant to come out,” Mr Napier said.
“It’s been two-and-a-half years and what this has done to hospitality venues patronage has really been felt.
“It’ll probably still be another six to 12 months before we start to see people looking to come out for entertainment in the same numbers.”
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Originally published as Townsville business owners weigh in on binning of mask mandate as restrictions continue to ease
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