Update: The NSW Government has reversed its decision and will allow pubs to serve food to up to 10 patrons from Friday. Read more.
The Premier has dismissed calls by NSW pubs to be included in the first stage of relaxed COVID-19 restrictions.
While up to 10 people will be allowed to dine at cafes and restaurants from Friday, pubs and bars have been excluded.
Gladys Berejiklian told Sunrise: “I appreciate the frustration expressed by the pubs and clubs.
“But can I make something very clear – this was based on health advice that came through the National Cabinet.”
“When our medical experts are asked why restaurants and cafes are open but not pubs, their response was that it’s easy to maintain social distancing in seated situations, whereas in a pub when people are mingling it’s difficult.”
“We can’t push against that health advice, we have to accept the health advice and that’s what we’re doing.”
According to the state’s executive director of health protection, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, the reason behind the decision is that people are more likely to linger in a pub restaurant setting, increasing the opportunities for transmission.
The Australian Hotels Association said the ban on opening is a massive blow, with the average pub is losing $35,000 a month.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” the association’s spokesperson John Green said.
“We’ve got hotels with four or five different areas, including hatted restaurants, bistros and beer gardens, all which can safely social distance people – yet we’ve been excluded from the ability to open.”
When presenter David Koch noted to the Premier that the calls are to reopen the seated bistro within NSW pubs – not the bar area, Berejiklian said: “We’re looking at that, I can tell you that we’re looking at that with industry.”
Country pubs unhappy with decision
Phil Anderson, owner of the Taralga Pub, told the Lithgow Mercury he doesn’t understand why NSW pubs in city and country areas are being lumped together in the decision.
“How can the government group a city nightclub, filled with 2000 people, alongside a country pub that’s lucky to see 20 people through the door on any day?” he said. “It’s strange.”
The Taralga Pub has no poker machines and offers the only dining in the town. The business is currently trading at 20-30% of its normal takings.
AHA NSW and national president Scott Leach said: “If Australia wants their local to make it through this crisis and be there for the recovery we need a bit of support – there really is a limit to how much debt we can take before many of us have to close for good.”
Pubs reopen in other states this week
Pubs in the Northern Territory, Queensland and West Australia are allowed to reopen on May 15, with restrictions in place.
Meanwhile, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall allowed RSLs and community halls to reopen on May 11, but nightclubs, bars and restaurants won’t restart until at least June 8.
Darwin’s Irish pub Shenannigans has been inundated with bookings for this Friday.
“Last week we announced we were opening and that we were taking bookings and Shenannigans had 100 bookings within an hour,” Marketing Manager Carly Balding told 9News.
Meanwhile, nightclub Monsoons, is employing ‘social distancing marshals’ and adopting an order and pay contactless system from the table.
