Regional Vic hit hard with Melbourne still locked out

Regional pubs and motels say the state government’s decision to stop Melburnians from visiting this long weekend has taken away their sense of purpose. Here are their stories.

Bendigo Motels Association president and Julie-Anna Inn general manager Kristyn Slattery at her Napier St business. Picture: Zizi Averill

Regional Victorian hotels and accommodation providers have been left out in the cold, with caps on patrons and restrictions on Melburnians destroying what would usually be one of their biggest weekends of trade.

From 11.59pm on Thursday, hospitality venues will be able to open to a maximum of 150 people for seated service with up to 75 indoors.

Restrictions have also eased for Melbourne residents, however they won’t be allowed to travel to regional Victoria until Friday, June 18.

Bendigo Motels Association president Kristyn Slattery said even when Melbourne reopened it would be months before regional tourism bookings were back to normal.

“Traveller confidence has plummeted,” Ms Slattery said.

“They’re not willing to risk their finances (on a holiday) as well as crush their hopes.

“We need the whole state to run as one for our industry to flourish.”

Ms Slattery, the Julie-Anna Inn general manager, said the business had lost tens of thousands of dollars in bookings in three weeks, with only three bedrooms in the 33-room motel booked for the usually bustling Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

She said she had been forced to stand down nine of her 11 staff – without the support net of JobKeeper – until business returned.

Ms Slattery said theannouncement that Melburnians could be travelling to regional Victoria soon had not improved bookings.

“Instead we were seeing the final cancellations,” she said.

“It’s heartbreaking. It’s taken away our sense of purpose.

“We’re loud and proud advocates for the Bendigo region … that’s been taken away from us the last 15 months.”

Owner of the Church St Hotel in Wodonga Michael Beattie said while 150 patrons would be the pub’s usual numbers on a Friday or Saturday night, having to sit 75 people outside during winter would be an issue.

“Putting half of them outside is problematic with the state of the year that we’re at,” Mr Beattie said.

“This time last year as we came out of lockdown people were braver and didn’t mind sitting outside in the cold as they have been stuck inside for so long.”

Mr Beattie said the business would also be affected over the long weekend with Melburnians unable to travel to regional Victoria.

“The long weekends are always a busier trade with people from Melbourne, and with everyone having Monday off,” he said.

Mr Beattie said they were still hoping to make the best of the eased restrictions and the long weekend, having multiple sittings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with musicians the Quinn Brothers playing on Sunday.

Mildura Plaza Motor Inn managing directors Phil Austen and Sandy Bock have had a “dreadful” fortnight. Picture: Michael DiFabrizio

Mildura Plaza Motor Inn was fully booked out for all three nights of the long weekend before the recent lockdown.

Managing director Sandy Bock said instead just four of the 24 rooms had bookings, after a “dreadful” fortnight.

She said it was a missed opportunity that travel from Melbourne wasn’t opened up.

“We’ve had a few essential workers come through that are travelling with permits,” Ms Bock said.

“Other than that we’ve got nothing, because no one can go anywhere and no one wants to travel too far from home in case lockdown hits again.”

Brendan Magee from the Courtyard Motor Inn at Shepparton said it was another devastating blow for his business.

“We’ve had three really good months and now everything has been stopped in its tracks again,” he said.

“We had a number of groups who were going to be staying with us over a few days this weekend and into next week because there were several events in town but they’ve all had to cancel.

“Those people had been booked in with us for ages. If the previous lockdown in February was anything to go by people won’t be back into the swing of things for a few weeks once restrictions are lifted.

“It might be a while before we have normal business again.”

Warrnambool’s Whalers Hotel owner operator Alister Porter said any changes allowing more patrons was positive, however they had hoped for more.

Mr Porter said the hotel would normally be “pumping” on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend but a lack of Melbourne visitors would have an impact.

“Bookings have filled up well with locals keen to get out and about,” he said.