Covid: Regional Victoria free but economy crippled

Regional Victoria will ‘reopen’ at midnight Thursday – but for businesses the damage has already been done with some considering closing.

Regional Victoria’s economy is still at risk of collapsing, and some businesses will close, despite Covid restrictions easing from midnight on Thursday.

The economy will have lost up to $150 million, according to the state’s peak body for business, and some small businesses fear they will not be able to recover.

From 11.59pm on Thursday night, travel restrictions and the five reasons to leave home will be lifted but strict restrictions remain in place including only having up to 50 diners at one time.

Wodonga chef David Kapay of Miss Amelie.

David Kapay owns Wodonga restaurant Miss Amelie and co-owns Miss Amelia Gourmet, a gourmet deli which has stores in Wodonga, Albury, and Wagga.

But he is now considering closing at least one of those because of the financial loss it has suffered.

“I had a couple of thoughts during the week and a discussion with my wife saying as much as I love it, maybe it’s time,” he said.

“This one stings a fair bit, and the government is going to throw us $2000 for a $40,000 loss of business.

“You see the comparison of the NSW regime and the better control they’ve had compared to the Victorian Government, who now for the fourth time have managed to ruin a lot of people’s lives.

“We’re always wondering who won’t make it, and which business will be a casualty of the latest lockdown.”

Mr Kapay said he was glad he kept his bookings for the restaurant for the weekend but they exceeded the 50 person capacity limit.

“We had 70-80 people booked this week for Saturday and Sunday night, so if they had kept us locked down that would have been a $20,000 loss alone,” he said.

Wodonga Caravan and Cabin Park owner Corey Goldie said business had almost been back to pre-Covid levels before the latest lockdown.

“Each lockdown we get, as soon as the lockdown finishes people say ‘let’s travel while we can because we don’t know when we’ll be locked down again’,” he said.

Wodonga caravan and cabin park operator Corey Goldie. Picture: Simon Dallinger

In Shepparton, 190km from Melbourne, Lemon Tree Café supervisor Keziah Lowden said the impact of lockdown had been dire.

“I couldn’t tell you how much stock we’ve had to throw out because the demand just hasn’t been there,” she said.

“People’s livelihoods were being messed with as well because most of our workers are casual. We’ve been through hell in the past year and we need more support.”

On the coast, in Phillip Island, one business is bracing to lose $20,000.

Despite being based in regional Victoria, Phillip Island Helicopters is not able to open due to its classification, tour transport.

“Not having Melbourne visitors over the long weekend is a big blow to the business assuming we are able to reopen then,” marketing manager Lauren Mitchell said the small business said.

It’s a similar situation in Warrnambool, where a café owner predicts she lost $35,000.

“Because this went over a weekend we lost a function at the cafe, we lost some off-site catering at three different venues,” Warrnambool Cafe Lava owner Chernae Scott owner said.

Ms Scott said the easing of restrictions planned from midnight Thursday to allow 50 seated patrons would be a relief.

However, she said she would need to have a staff member dedicated on the door to ensure Covid rules were adhered to.

“We have been strict in the sense that everyone who walks through the door we are asking to sign in, sanitise and check-in and we have the whole time,” Ms Scott said.

Businesses aren’t the only ones to suffer, however.

Because Melbourne people are unable to travel to regional Victoria under Melbourne’s extended lockdown, Rutherglen’s biggest event of the year, Winery Walkabout has been postponed until July 24-24.

Olive Hill Estate owners Kay and Ross Perry said they welcomed the eased restrictions but were disappointed the event had been postponed.

“We’re happy regional Victoria has had lockdown restrictions eased, and we are delighted we have a little bit of reprieve,” Ms Perry said.

“But we’re disappointed financially.”

Councils across the state have, however, welcomed the resitrctions easing, knowing the lockdown could have extended from Melbourne to regional Victoria.

Mildura mayor Jason Modica said the easing of restrictions was a “huge positive for small business” in the northwest.

“For small businesses to have had to dip into their savings I’d imagine four times over the last 15 months, being able to open particularly on the back of not having any cases is a good start,” he said.

“But there’s a bit of responsibility there. If a case comes through we have to be prepared to adhere to the rules of the state.

“It’s a good indication of the lobbying that’s come from regional Victoria to be identified in a different way as well.”

Warrnambool mayor Vicki Jellie said small businesses which had just started getting back on track in the southwest before the latest lockdown had ground to a halt.

“The day before we went into lockdown I walked around to a few of the businesses … some of them (in hospitality) said they weren’t going to do takeaway because it wasn’t worth it for them,” Cr Jellie said.

“Some of them had to make that hard decision - do we open partially or not open at all?

“Some businesses now will be able to reopen their doors, of course in a Covid safe way. But that’s great because it’s been a tough week for everyone.”

Cr Jellie urged people to continue to follow Covid-safe protocols like checking-in, hand sanitising and, now, having to show ID at places such as cafes and restaurants.

“That’s hard for the cafe owners because some people won’t like those questions but if they don’t comply with that they don’t come through the door,” she said.

She also urged people from Melbourne to abide by the lockdown measures and not visit regional Victoria.

“Hopefully people from Melbourne who’ve been asked to stay home don’t try and visit the regional areas when they’re not meant to be because that could be disastrous,” she said.

Originally published as Covid: Regional Victoria free but economy crippled