Trevor Andrews opens the Pastoral Hotel Echuca despite Victorian Government lockdown

A small country pub in northern Victoria is defying the state government’s latest lockdown as it throws open its doors and welcomes customers back.

Publican Trevor Andrews of the Pastoral Hotel Echuca is opening defying lockdown restrictions. Picture: Bec Pilgrim.

A small country pub is defying lockdown rules as it throws open its doors on the Victorian-NSW border.

Venues across the state remain closed under the Victorian Government’s Covid restrictions.

But the Pastoral Hotel in Echuca reopened for drinks and meals on Saturday serving about 70 meals.

Owner Trevor Andrews said despite police visiting his Sturt Street venue, it would remain open.

“We can’t keep going like this, they’ve tried to lock us down five times and it has got beyond the point of ridiculous,” he said.

“When we were offering takeaway people would be standing in here waiting for there food so I thought I may as well put my whole dine-in menu on offer.

“Retail stores including the supermarkets are allowed to be open and they would have more people through them in an hour than some local businesses would in a day or even a week.

“I want every pub or hotel in Victoria to open their doors because how we’re being treated isn’t right.”

The pub on Sturt Street, Echuca has been open since Saturday. Picture: Bec Pilgrim

Mr Andrews said it was frustrating that minutes away on the NSW side of the border — in Moama — pubs were open under capped restrictions.

“There are currently no cases in the Campaspe region so it just makes no sense for us to be locked down like Melbourne,” he said.

“Every time we’ve opened our doors, in lockdown or not, we’ve done the right thing and followed the Covid-safe protocols.”

Mr Andrews said police had visited his venue twice since he opened but hadn’t forced him to close his doors.

“I had seven people sitting in the bar yesterday when they came in,” he said.

“Then we had two or three tables at dinner time. The police came in and took down the names of the people who were here.

“Now it’s a waiting game to see where it goes.”

Customers inside the hotel share a drink and laugh in defiance of the Victorian Government’s latest lockdown.

Since the start of the pandemic, Mr Andrews said he had not stood down any of his staff.

“You don’t want to have to tap someone on the shoulder and tell them you can’t pay them,” he said.

“The Victorian Government has offered us support but it’s not enough when you take into account all the bills I have to pay as well.

“$3000 for five days is nothing. It doesn’t even cover one day of operation.”

Victoria Police confirmed it attended the venue on July 19 and 20 but refused to comment further.

Businesses face on the spot fines of $1652 if they breach the lockdown rules and risk fines up to $9913 if they repeatedly break the rules.

Originally published as Trevor Andrews opens the Pastoral Hotel Echuca despite Victorian Government lockdown