Coldstream Brewery to open at midnight to celebrate end of lockdown
A popular brewery in the Yarra Ranges will welcome punters back at midnight as Melbourne’s lockdown finally ends, in what’s set to be an emotional moment for staff and guests.
Outer East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Outer East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Coldstream Brewery will open at midnight to celebrate the end of Melbourne’s lockdown.
Bookings for the hour-long celebration at the popular watering hole on Tuesday night have already sold out.
“We are that excited to be able to open from 11:59PM tomorrow night that we are opening from midnight for an hour to celebrate,” the brewery posted on Facebook Monday.
“Anyone else within our 25kms that can’t wait another minute?!
“We are opening for drinks only, all patrons must be seated and other COVID-safe protocols will be in place.”
Venue manager Carly Bullock said having drinks at midnight seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the end of lockdown.
“I know I’ve spoken to a lot of my friends and staff and locals and people just want to be out and they want to socialise,” she said.
“We love to go out to dinner, have a drink … and we have just not been able to do that for so long.
“Leading up to these announcements (Premier) Daniel Andrews always says ‘As of midnight this is going to change,” so I thought ‘Why wait?’
“If we’re allowed to do it at midnight, let’s do it at midnight.”
Ms Bullock said so many of the brewery’s customers had got in touch to say how happy they were about the reopening, and staff had been begging to come to work on Tuesday night.
“I think there could be some sort of hurricane tonight and people would still come and have a drink,” she said.
Ms Bullock said the brewery would open for weekend bookings on Friday.
“We only found out yesterday (about the reopening) so we need time to order in food and get our menu sorted,” she said.
She said the brewery was planning to reopen for lunch and dinner from Friday to Monday, before re-evaluating next week.
“Hopefully come the warmer weather and towards Christmas we’ll be able to open up fully again,” she said.
Ms Bullock said it had been “ a really rough year” for the brewery.
“We certainly don’t want to ever go through anything like this again,” she said.
Ms Bullock said the brewery had been open for takeaway during the lockdown and staff were incredibly grateful for the local community’s support during that time.
MORE NEWS: SECOND DAY OF NO CASES AHEAD OF REOPENING