Victoria’s pubs, restaurants and shops fume at reopening delay
Melbourne’s pubs and restaurants will be haemorrhaging money for another fortnight after their pleas to reopen fell on deaf ears. It comes as many desperate retailers ordered to keep their doors shut say survival is now a day to day proposition.
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Melburnians will be able to dine in at pubs, cafes and restaurants within two weeks, but hospitality owners are reeling at the continued delay and pleading for doors to open now.
Melbourne’s indoor and outdoor dining will return on November 2 — despite the original road map suggesting it would open outside from October 26.
Business owners said it was a major blow to wait another two weeks.
“It’s pretty rough. I mean, I think everyone was expecting to get at least the opportunity to start doing some dine-in, whether it be just outside of today,” said Industry Beans cafe owner Trevor Simmons.
“So, the fact we’ve got another two weeks to wait is another two weeks the businesses are just haemorrhaging cash.”
It was a sentiment matched by Rabih Yanni, from The Botanical Hotel in South Yarra, who said it was not only two weeks of revenue pain, but a fortnight of further unemployment for staff.
“The industry is mostly made up of young workers who do not have security,” he said.
“There are young people who are now either not employed or confused about whether or not they are employed It’s gone beyond account balances and revenue.”
Venues will be limited to 20 indoor diners with 10 per space and a minimum density of one person per 4sq m. Outside caps will be 50 people, with one person per 2sq m.
Groups will also be limited to 10 people and must be seated and located 1.5m apart.
A “gutted” Chris Lucas, from CBD restaurant Chin Chin, said the plan was “unworkable”.
He estimated half of Melbourne’s restaurants would not open, given the cap on diners.
He said the rules were particularly harsh on venues with only one space because they would be capped at 10 diners indoors.
“With these restrictions, we’re facing economic armageddon. If restaurants do open they’ll be opening only through desperation,” he said.
“It’s smoke and mirrors from this Premier. Back in June we were able to trade at 20 per space, he has now halved that.
“We were expecting a responsible reopening plan for the industry and what we’ve got is just an extended lockdown.”
Mr Lucas said Mr Andrews’ comments on Sunday about hospitality were “a cruel and cynical and callous attempt to make it look like he was reopening the industry when in fact he’s undermined our industry with a set of rules that are commercially not viable”.
In a small glimmer of hope, Mr Andrews revealed if infection numbers continued to stay low he may bring forward the November 1 announcement.
“At this stage, we’ve set out a timeline, some important things,” he said.
“There is some optimism, or confidence even, that if things continue this week as they have the last five days, we might be able to bring that forward. I don’t want to speculate any further than that.”
Under the reopening plan, venues will be required to take customers’ details and enforce social distancing.
To help businesses prepare, employees can return to work from October 28.
In regional areas where hospitality is already open, patron caps will be lifted to 40 indoors and 70 outdoors.
SURVIVAL ‘DAY TO DAY’ FOR DESPERATE BUSINESSES
Shops, beauticians and small businesses must keep their doors closed despite hairdressers receiving a green light, which has angered business groups and owners.
From Monday, hairdressers and barbers can open, but large retail operators, such as Kmart and Bunnings, and personal service providers, such as tattooists and beauticians, must wait until November 2 — or until further announcements by the state government.
Premier Daniel Andrews revealed the new approach on Sunday, bringing the complete opening of the retail sectors forward from November 23, but admitted not everyone will be happy but that “you’ve got to fix the health problem first”.
The Business Council of Australia’s chief executive, Jennifer Westacott, said “the wait- to-see approach to easing restrictions was not the answer”.
“For businesses, it is now a day-to-day proposition, not a week-to-week one, whether they remain viable or close their doors forever,” she said.
“There is no sound reason to continue the restrictions on business, especially with case numbers clearly on a downward trajectory.”
However, Australian Retailers Association chief Paul Zahra said the reopening before the Christmas rush was an “enormous relief”.
“While this date is many weeks later than we would have hoped, it is just in time for the official start of the Christmas shopping period and very welcome news for retailers who have been desperately seeking clarity for months,” he said.
“The ARA has been calling for store staff to have the ability to return earlier to begin the arduous task of store preparations in time for the busiest and most important trading period of the year.”
After rising pressure — and at least one barber shop revolting against shutdown — the Premier announced hairdressers would open from Monday.
Nicole Torcasio, who is the owner with husband Tony of nine Rokk Ebony salons, said hairdressers were glad to be back at work.
“My gosh, we are so excited but there’s a bit of stress and anxiety over the lack of notice. We didn’t get a lot of time to prepare,” she said.
Operators in other sectors, who will be forced to stay closed until November 2, hit out at the decision.
Carlie Lansdown, from Soak Bar + Beauty South Yarra, said: “It’s extremely disappointing and frustrating but there is not much we can do about it. We definitely want to keep the community safe, but with the cases so low there is no reason we shouldn’t be able to open.”
General manager of the Chapel Street Precinct Chrissie Maus said: “The fact retail and hospitality is still left waiting until potentially November is an unjust joke. There’s a cloud of anger from Chapel Street Precinct businesses as this is no longer acceptable or sustainable for our businesses. I’d have rather kept the 5km limit and the shops opened.”
Large Format Retail Association chief executive Phillipa Kelly, who represents “big box” retailers, such as The Good Guys, Bunnings and Spotlight, said the road map was frustrating as larger stores could easily entertain social distancing measures.
“We are, however, encouraged by the clear signal of an opening date of 1st November, or possibly earlier,” she said.
Mr Andrews said if case numbers remained low then shops may be able to open before November.
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