Chapel St traders beg for government help as 35 per cent of staff isolate with Covid-19

A staggering number of Chapel St businesses are short-staffed or closed because they have Covid-19, with many ‘better off financially during lockdown’.

Chapel Street precinct traders have been hit hard by the latest Covid outbreak and are begging for financial support. File picture.

More than one in three workers have been struck down by Covid-19 on one of Melbourne’s biggest shopping strips as traders beg for support from the state government to survive.

According to data from the Chapel Street Precinct, about 35 per cent of workers across 2200 businesses have either had the virus or are isolating.

It has led to staff shortages and businesses closing over the typically busy summer holiday period due to isolation requirements.

Chapel Street Precinct chair Justin O’Donnell said the precinct’s businesses were in their worst position since the pandemic started and would be better off financially in lockdown.

Mr O’Donnell said traders needed urgent government cash support as they faced “a perfect storm” with the impact of deferred payroll taxes and wage increases.

“It beggars belief that our businesses are not getting government support due to staff being forced into isolation,” he said.

Chapel Street Precinct Association chair Justin O’Donnell says its traders need urgent support to deal with the latest Covid crisis. Picture: Supplied

Caffe e Cucina’s Katy Georgiou’s restaurant has been closed since the start of the year due to Covid-related staff shortages. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“Practically every single one of our businesses would be better off financially if we went back into lockdown … that’s how slaughtered our poor businesses owners are feeling,” he said.

“Many are working seven days a week as well as double shifts just to cover staff who are not allowed to work.”

The precinct’s general manager, Chrissie Maus, who is isolating due to the virus, said some businesses had not opened since Christmas due to Covid-related staff shortages.

Ms Maus said she had written confirmation from Small Business Minister Jaala Pulford to meet and discuss concerns.

“We need our government to come forward with solutions to rapidly assist,” she said.

Caffe e Cucina manager Katy Georgiou said her restaurant would reopen on Thursday night, having been closed since the start of the year with almost half of her 20 staff impacted by the virus.

She joined the calls for government help including rent relief and staff holiday payments.

“It’s been more impactful than the lockdown closures … every other lockdown we opened every single day for takeaway, and this time I couldn’t,” she said.

“We just need something to help when you’re not even getting a dollar through the door.”

A state government spokesman said there was no plans for new targeted support but it was working to keep businesses “operating as productively as possible” during the latest outbreak.