Beer supplies from CUB’s Abbotsford brewery in Melbourne will not be interrupted during Stage 4 lockdown in Victoria.
The brewery has gained special exemption to continue operating during the restrictions.
The Australian Financial Review reports the brewery can continue to operate because it falls under the category of ”food and beverage” production.
CUB has around a 48% market share of the Australian beer market.
“CUB was hit hard in the first round of the national lockdowns in late March and April when beer volumes tumbled more than 30% as pubs and bars around the nation were forced to close,” the AFR notes.
In June, Brews News reported that both Lion and CUB acknowledged that stocking pubs nationally when faced with sudden lockdowns and easing of restrictions was an “extraordinary logistical exercise”.
CUB said that when the brewery turned its keg lines in March off because pubs and clubs across the country closed, it took some time to return beer supplies to normal levels, especially in Western Australia.
Melburnians are currently enduring some of the strictest lockdown conditions in the world, with stage four lockdown taking full effect this morning.
Residents are only allowed to leave the house for one of four essential reasons: shopping for groceries and essential items; medical needs and caregiving; an hour of daily exercise in their local area; and work where it’s not possible to do so from home.
A citywide curfew has been implemented from 8pm to 5am every day, meaning everyone has to stay at home during those hours.
The only businesses allowed to remain open are supermarkets and grocery stores (including all food and liquor shop), fuel suppliers, pharmacies, post offices, hardware, maternity supplies, disability and health equipment, motor vehicle parts for emergency repairs, and retailers fulfilling online orders.
Pubs and bars, clubs and nightclubs are closed, aside from being allowed to offer delivery and takeaway services.
All restrictions will be in place until at least Sunday, September 13 for the whole state.
Operators need to ensure that all drivers and staff working after 8pm have a worker permit. Full details on the permit are available on Victoria’s Justice Department’s website.
Stage-three restrictions are in place for the rest of the state.
Massive queues at bottle shops
Hundreds of drinkers rushed to bottle shops around Melbourne on Monday, fearing they would be closed under new lockdown restrictions before Premier Daniel Andrews clarified they would remain open.
Pictures showed masked-wearing panic buyers in a Dan Murphy’s car park in Brighton, south east of Melbourne.
AFL player Brad Green posted the image with the caption: “Priorities people, Dan Murphy’s at 9am. Don’t worry about food and toilet paper, get to Dans.”
Others comment on the picture that heir bottle shops were also packed.
“No wonder we getting lockdown bloody idiots, there’s a delivery service, stay indoors,” one said.
Pub rents raised during COVID-19
The ALE Property Group said it still expects rent to be paid at the 33 Victorian sites that it owns that are run by the ALH Group, despite the six-week lockdown.
The Australian reports: “The landlord acknowledged that COVID-19 had an impact on the industry but its property valuations are rising, as the pubs have long-term leases to ALH and rise in value when bond yields are low.
“ALE and the pub operator are reviewing some pub rents and many have already been lifted by about 10% as they were previously at below market rates.”
