Fifth lockdown leaves regional Victorian businesses reeling

Regional Victorian businesses are breaking down — emotionally and financially — as the state plunges into yet another lockdown.

The latest lockdown announcement has regional Victoria reeling with staff in tears, business owners fearing for their futures, major events cancelled and politicians outraged.

Hospitality owners are outraged they will be plunged into a fifth lockdown from 11.59pm Thursday despite few cases in regional Victoria.

Cheeky Goose Cafe owner Rob van den Brink said business owners had not been given enough time to cancel deliveries, forcing him to lose $4000 worth of stock.

“Basically I‘ve been given seven hours to close,” he said.

“If I had time to actually cancel my weekend deliveries, it would be different.”

Cheeky Goose Cafe owner Rob van den Brink (second left) with staff members Matt, Alex, Manbir, Sam and Jackson in happier times.

Mr van de Brink said he would have to cancel about 250 bookings over the weekend.

The Cowes business owner said he had a staff member in tears.

“All my casual staff are upset,” he said.

“One of my employees cried and gave me a hug and said he is sorry as he knows how much money the business loses when we are locked down.”

Mr van de Brink said Victorians “have to learn to live” with the virus.

“It‘s frustrating and I feel for a lot of people I know up and down the main street in Cowes that won’t be able to deal with something like this,” he said.

Paradee Titulaer, who owns three businesses in the Bass Coast including the Wonthaggi Hotel, said lockdown would have a huge impact on them.

“It‘s not worth us opening for takeaway so we will have to let staff have those days off again,” she said.

“The last lockdown grant didn‘t even cover the cost of electricity in the venue for the week.”

FishBone Fish and Chippery owner Amanda Stirton said past lockdowns were horrific for her Cape Woolamai business.

“We haven‘t had a case here in nearly a year and we are consistently being penalised over and over,” she said.

“It‘s incredibly stressful and it’s not fair.”

Owner of the Bunch of Grapes Hotel In Redan, Jamie Morecombe said each lockdown was sapping the energy of his staff.

“Every time Dan announces a lockdown, this place feels like a funeral, everyone is shattered,” he said.

“Each lockdown involves us having to drain the beer lines and dump food from the kitchen, it kills us financially.”

Thousands of farmers and their flocks have been turned back with only 16 hours notice, as the Australian Sheep and Wool Show announced its cancellation because of the lockdown.

More than 5000 farmers — and their sheep, goats and alpacas — were set to make their way to the annual Bendigo event this weekend.

More than 30,000 people were expected to attend this weekend’s Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show.

It is understood the event typically attracts more than 30,000 visitors to the region.

After Thursday afternoon’s press conference, the event organisers have been forced to shut down the major industry event, with only 16 hours before the gates were set to open.

In another blow, it is understood the Echuca Moama Winter Blues Festival, which had been scheduled for next week, has been called off.

Echuca Moama Accommodation Association co-president Paul Lavars described it as another "devastating" blow to the community.

"Just as Echuca businesses think they're in the clear, they are whacked right between the eyes," he said.

"It was bad enough because all of the accommodation in Moama had been moved into Echuca because of border restrictions.

"It is another tough day for our operators."

Tourism Greater Shepparton vice-president Carrie Donaldson described the lockdown announcement as "disheartening".

"Bookings had been quiet anyway because people were tentative about the situation in NSW," she said.

"As business owners we've become resigned to the fact about having to deal with this.

"The worst part is we can't go and sell those nights again. We need government support."

Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell said she had been inundated with calls from small businesses in her electorate throughout Thursday.

“This came pretty much out of the blue and it has been very, very hard for people,” she said.

“Businesses are contacting me still waiting for payment from the last lockdown. They’re still reeling.

“They’re trying to pay staff, trying to manage overheads, without the waste. It’s really challenging.

“I don’t think a lot of businesses will be able to survive this uncertainty.”

Premier Daniel Andrews, while announcing the lockdown, said the Victorian Government would look at lifting restrictions earlier than midnight Tuesday if possible, however Ms Britnell said there needed to be more certainty.

“I’ve got my uncle’s funeral on Tuesday, how are we supposed to figure that out as a family?” she said.

“Do we just sit around and wait and on Monday say we’ll go ahead on Tuesday, or cancel it and make it Wednesday? Those sort of practicalities are so difficult to work around.

“Things like funerals, let people grieve. Let people do what needs to be done because mental health challenges are just as great.

“We’ve experienced it as a region when we had young Cooper (Onyett), surely some provisions for funerals now so people can wear masks, keep their distance, gather as long as it’s not in a hot zone, for funerals.

“We’re in our fifth lockdown and we’re back to 10 people at a funeral? It’s totally uncalled for.”

Mildura mayor Jason Modica says there will be a “collective sigh” in his community about the latest lockdown.

Mildura mayor Jason Modica said his community would be breathing a "collective sigh" after the latest announcement.

Cr Modica said the cross-border nature of recent exposure sites made this lockdown "a little bit different" from a Mildura perspective.

New South Wales has declared an exposure site in the Sturt Hwy town of Hay.

"There is a collective sigh, but I try and balance that out with the idea we don't want cases growing exponentially," Cr Modica said.

Independent Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said it was “heartening” parts of regional Victoria could be released from lockdown early if it was safe.

“The sooner we can get out of this lockdown the better, particularly for our business community, which is already in many ways under immense, almost crippling stress and pressure,” Ms Cupper said.

City of Greater Bendigo mayor Jennifer Alden said the latest lockdown was frustrating, but necessary given the current health advice.

“We had only recently adjusted to another ‘new normal’, but the decision is based on health advice and we have seen how quickly these new variants of Covid can get away from us,” she said.

Originally published as Fifth lockdown leaves regional Victorian businesses reeling