Toowoomba’s Bazinga Entertainment Centre forced to temporarily close due to new government rules

The owners of a popular Toowoomba entertainment business say they are “beyond angry” at new government restrictions, which have forced them to temporarily close.

Bazinga Entertainment Centre in Toowoomba has temporarily closed, saying the State Government's new rules made it impossible to stay open for the time being.

A popular Toowoomba entertainment business has announced it has been forced to shut its doors temporarily, saying the State Government’s latest Covid rules prevented them from staying open.

Bazinga Entertainment Centre on Herries Street, which hosts the Garden City Lanes bowling alley, an arcade and a laser tag arena under one roof, made the announcement on Friday morning.

It comes the same day as the State Government’s new vaccination restrictions come into effect and during the busiest time of the year for the business.

In a post on social media, the owners said Bazinga’s classification as a “bowling amusement” business meant it reduced their workforce by 70-75 per cent.

“Bazinga has always been proactive and able to implement all regulations imposed over the last 18 months, well before being required. Until now,” the post said.

“The Queensland Government has at this last minute, changed the indoor sport of bowling from the ‘indoor sport’ category and placed us in a new label of ‘bowling amusement’ and into a new category being equal to that of a nightclub. These are vastly different rules.

“There is a disparity and lack of logic in the mandate’s application across industries, activities and society.”

The owners cited the sport of basketball, also an indoor activity, to show how differently the rules were applied.

“Anybody can attend an ‘indoor play centre’, mingle and play, but not everybody can enter or work at Bazinga,” the post said.

“Anybody can attend ‘indoor sports’, mingle, sit, play, but not everybody can enter or work at Bazinga.

“Consider this, everybody can go to the basketball, everybody can sit, everybody can eat, everybody can work in and play basketball, all under similar requirements which we all have been operating under for a year.

“However, now there are different rules for just bowling.

“So if basketball hoops were set up in Bazinga, and we play basketball, everyone is fine, but if you roll a ball down the lane it is a totally different risk according to the Queensland Government. Does that make sense?”

The post said about three-quarters of the business’ staff were not able to work.

“As we cannot adequately cover a shift, there is no responsible nor safe way in which we as a business can function and provide our services to the public,” it said.

“We have appealed to the Australian federal parliament, Queensland parliament, all local councillors and Mayor.

“Bazinga is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars and all staff jobs are at risk, however we never have put money before people’s rights, concerns and safety.”