Unley Hotel

SA pubs celebrate return to stand-up drinking

June 24, 2020
By Alana House

SA pubs will be allowed to trade at 50% capacity from next week, during a third phase of restriction easing in the state.

Changes to the number of patrons allowed mean there will be up to one person per 2sqm allowed, up from one every 4sqm. And patrons can stand up and have a drink at the bar, so long as they are socially distanced from other patrons.

Australian Hotels Association SA chief executive Ian Horne told the Adelaide Advertiser: “Stand-up drinking is a significant positive step,” he said. “You’ll be able to stand at the bar, in the beer garden or around the eight-ball table.

“It’s going to make going to the pub or the club or the bar more normal.”

Steven Marshall
Premier Steven Marshall with former Australian rules footballer Mark Ricciuto at the Alma Tavern on June 1.

Premier Steven Marshall said SA would be “more open than any other place in the country, and pretty much any place in the world”, from on Monday.

Marshall says larger venues, such as Adelaide Oval, will also be allowed to cater to up to 50% of their normal capacity from June 29, provided health officials have approved their COVID-19 safety plans.

There is no formal fourth phase in the South Australian COVID-19 recovery road map. Higher-risk activities in a “future steps” group include large outdoor gatherings, salad bars and buffets and nightclubs. They can now make special application to operate.

Western Australian rules relaxed this weekend

In addition to the good news for SA pubs, Australian Hotels Association (Western Australia) has welcomed the announcement that WA restrictions will ease to Phase 4 on Saturday.

The Grosvenor Hotel
The Grosvenor Hotel, Perth

The relaxed WA restrictions include:

  • All existing gathering limits and the 100/300 rule removed
  • Gathering limits now only determined by WA’s reduced 2sqm rule
  • The 2sqm rule will only include staff at venues that hold more than 500 patrons
  • Removal of seated service requirements at food businesses and licensed premises
  • No requirement to maintain patron register at food businesses and licensed premises
  • Alcohol can be served as part of unseated service arrangements;
  • All events permitted except for large scale, multi-stage music festivals
  • Unseated performances permitted at venues such as concert halls, live music venues, bars, pubs and nightclubs
  • The casino gaming floor reopening under agreed temporary restrictions.

“Also from Saturday our major sport and entertainment venues will be able to operate under a 50% capacity rule,” Premier Mark McGowan explained.

Pictured main: South Australia’s The Unley Hotel.

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