Mental health top concern for Commune’s Nic Coulter, other Melbourne business owners: MYOB survey

Covid-19 has made mental health an immediate concern for business owners, including one fed up Melbourne restaurateur with six venues going through a fourth lockdown.

Victorian restaurateur Nicolas Coulter, pictured at Hanoi Hannah in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

A fourth lockdown in 14 months has devastated Melbourne’s vibrant dining scene and with it the momentum of six restaurants co-owned by “fed up” restaurateur Nicolas Coulter.

He personifies the growing concern around mental health being experienced by many Australian small and business enterprise owners, according to research by accounting services business MYOB.

About 75 per cent of the 1500 respondents had experienced stress, anxiety and/or depression in the last 12 months directly related to running their business.

Of these, 26 per cent identified mental health as an immediate concern.

The key business-related cause of mental health challenges came down to financial/cashflow issues, followed by the impact of Covid-19.

Nicolas Coulter at the Hanoi Hannah in Melbourne. Picture: MYOB

“Last year was pretty nerve-racking not knowing what was happening,” said Mr Coulter, co-owner of the New Quarter, Hanoi Hannah, Tokyo Tina, Neptune Food & Wine and Firebird restaurants across Richmond, Windsor, Prahran and Elsternwick.

“Since we opened in November and over December last year, the business came back strong.

“And then that was kind of undone through the February lockdown.

“We had good trade again since and now another step backwards. It is kind of wearing us down a bit.

“We really are trying to get ahead, but it’s kind of been two steps back.”

Mr Coulter said he was “getting a bit fed up” with the situation.

“The venues have done everything we’ve been asked to in terms of sticking to density quotas, and record-keeping, sanitisation, you know, the Covid safety plan that we’ve all had to implement. But yet, here we are again.

“The QR (code) system, from my understanding, is designed to identify people that have been in and out in an exposed venue and to get them to isolate and lock down, so the rest of us can continue on.

“Getting a higher population vaccinated could work and may be we can manage this without having to go into a lockdown.”

Most of his 200 full or part-time staff have been stood down with only two of the six restaurants catering for takeaway orders.

“During the last lockdown, all the restaurants were pretty active doing some kind of offering.

“This time, without JobKeeper ... it’s really not viable. We just thought it wasn’t worth it.”

So far the Victorian government has offered a $3500 grant to restaurants and venues that meet certain criteria, and Mr Coulter is hopeful the business can access it to “at least pay the rents”.

“To be honest, I feel like the short lockdowns really do bring business to a halt.

“You really lose a lot of momentum and it is hard to flip a concept and then come back.

“It’s really tough to maintain momentum.”

While the current lockdown may be extended with the number of Covid cases rising in Victoria, Mr Coulter is also concerned about “future unknowns” in terms of fresh restrictions and precautions.

“We’ll do everything to keep out of lockdowns.”

Mr Coulter and other co-owners of the Commune Group – Robert Gringlas, Simon Blacher and Charles Rothery – have supported each other through the past 14 months.

“We’ve all been pretty conscious of ways we can get through this and being there for each other as much as we can.

“Also looking at things we’re all engaged in … seeing a therapist, taking up running or some kind of active lifestyle to really kind of reset the brain or kind of get you on the right wavelength, because it is quite easy to go down that hole of negativity.”

MYOB chief executive Greg Ellis.

MYOB chief executive Greg Ellis said the data highlighted the need to support the country’s 2.9 million SMEs.

The firm partnered with Smiling Mind to create a preventative mental health program for small business owners.

“Unfortunately the pressure on small businesses is likely to continue in the interim until the Covid vaccine is widely rolled out,” Mr Ellis said.

“Once we see an end to lockdowns, businesses will no doubt get more of a sense of security in planning for the future.”

On Wednesday the Australian Retailers Association joined industry calls for a reintroduction of JobKeeper or similar wage subsidy scheme as Victoria’s lockdown is extended by another seven days.

“Victoria can’t do this alone. The federal government has done a great job to keep businesses afloat through JobKeeper and we need them to step up to the plate again,” ARA chief executive Paul Zahra said.

“This isn’t just about Victoria. This is about other states and territories who might have to deal with state-imposed lockdowns and restrictions, should new cases emerge in the community. A scheme like JobKeeper should be a lifeline that can be activated when it’s needed.”