Coronavirus in Australia: Will ban on non-essential services shut bottle shops?

Non-essential services are shutting down within hours – but for the moment at least, it will be business as usual for your local bottle-o.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced bottle shops will not be forced to close at midday tomorrow along with pubs and other entertainment venues.

During an extraordinary press conference held tonight shortly after a national cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison said that from midday tomorrow, registered and licensed clubs, licensed premises in hotels and pubs, entertainment venues and cinemas, casinos and nightclubs will all shut, along with cinemas, gyms and indoor sporting venues.

Restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway only, and enclosed spaces for funerals will have to observe a tough four square metre rule – which will be enforced.

But for now at least, bottle-os will remain open.

The announcement comes as panic buying hit bottle shops earlier today after three Aussie states announced a “comprehensive shutdown” would take place within days.

Earlier today, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a shutdown of non-essential services, which will take place over the next 48 hours.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews followed suit, as did ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

Supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, freight and logistics and home delivery were all given the green light to continue operating – but under the unprecedented move, restaurants, pubs, bars and retailers will be forced to close their doors.

Aussies were stocking up on ‘essentials’ today after a NSW, Victorian and ACT shutdown was announced. Picture: Damian Shaw

But as the news of the drastic shutdowns started to sink in, attention turned to liquor stores – and whether or not they would be deemed “essential”, or ordered to close.

The confusion prompted a flurry of activity in bottle shops across the country, with shoppers in Sydney stores seen loading their trolleys with booze and social media users sharing snaps of the frenzy inside stores as customers frantically attempted to stock up.

lockdown was just announced in Australia and people are swarming the bottle shops AHHAHAHHA pic.twitter.com/l4woI71DAI

— WarLust (@TheWarLust) March 22, 2020

The situation has also sparked lighthearted panic on social media, with many claiming their local BWS, Dan Murphys or First Choice Liquor was “essential” for them.

Can we confirm Bottleshops are staying open 1000%?? @danmurphys you are definitely essential to me!

— CEExJAY (@CoreyJayyy) March 22, 2020

If people start panic-buying passionfruit udls I’m gonna lose it, some of us require them for survival

— Jacqui Reed (@JacquiReed_) March 22, 2020

Many Twitter users, including Channel 10 reporter Stephen Quartermain, earlier claimed bottle shops did fall under the “essential” category.

For those asking. Bottle shops and places like @danmurphys are considered “essential services”.

— Stephen Quartermain (@Quartermain10) March 22, 2020