Snap lockdown talk casts doubt on weddings, Lunar New Year

Weddings and Lunar New Year celebrations in Melbourne’s west have been thrown in doubt as talk of another lockdown looms.

Lunar New Year celebrations, which kicked off on Friday, February 12, could be cancelled if Melbourne is forced into another lockdown. Picture: Nicki Connolly

A wedding venue and Buddhist temple in Melbourne’s west are pleading to be able to stay open as talk of another COVID-19 lockdown looms.

The Department of Health and Human Services revealed on Friday the Holiday Inn cluster had ballooned to 13 cases after five new infections emerged on Thursday.

Health authorities are currently working on the assumption all the cases involve the highly-infectious British mutant strain.

Government officials and police were due to meet at 11am on Friday morning to discuss what action to take.

Major news outlets were reporting a snap lockdown was being considered following high level government talks on Thursday night.

Lily of Sheldon Receptions in Sunshine West said their venue had four weddings booked for the weekend.

She said shutting down again would have a big financial impact on the business and there would be a lot of unhappy couples.

“We haven’t had any calls as yet in terms of people freaking out. To be honest it’s all systems go until it’s concrete,” Lily, who declined to provide her surname, said.

“People just want to have their function, we’ve got brides who have been waiting for two years. Their dresses have been sitting in the closet for one-and-a-half years.

“People just want to have the best day of their lives … Victorians have had enough, how much more can we take?”

Couples will be forced to postpone their wedding again if a snap lockdown is announced. Picture: iStock

A Facebook poll of Wyndham Leader readers found the overwhelming majority of respondents opposed another lockdown.

Thirty-seven of 45 respondents said a snap lockdown was not a good idea.

“No way, geez anyone would think we have 40 cases,” Trudy Warr wrote.

Trent Britnell questioned if it was “more to the point, should we get rid of (Premier Dan) Andrews”.

While Manjeet Bajwa pleaded for a short, sharp lockdown if there was going to be one.

“Lockdown for only five days please like they did in (Western Australia). Otherwise it’s too late and we have to go in long lockdown like last year,” she wrote.

Hing Nguyen of the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple in Braybrook said it would be “disappointing” to cancel this weekend’s planned Lunar New Year events.

Lunar New Year is Friday, February 12.

The temple was expecting about 1000 people to visit for prayers, to share food and enjoy music and a traditional dragon dance, she said.

Patron numbers were already down at an event they held last night compared with previous years due to coronavirus fears, she said.

“It would be disappointing, but if we are told, we have no choice,” Ms Nguyen said.

“We celebrate on the day, I don’t think we can postpone it.”