The Australian Hotels Association says struggling pubs are the losers in the Australian Government’s three-stage plan to reopen the economy.
Under stage one, pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants may open and seat up to 10 patrons at one time, maintaining 4sqm spacing per person. Stage two would increase capacity to 20 patrons, and 100 patrons by stage three.
Stage three is expected to be sometime in July.
Seated restaurants in pubs and clubs could start in stage one under the 10-person limit but “they may well not”, chief medical officer Brendan Murphy admitted, noting “that would be a pretty small restaurant”.
“Hotels have been left blindsided,” AHA chief executive Stephen Ferguson said. “They basically will not be able to reopen their businesses until stage three of the recovery process.
“We are told only 10 people can sit and have a meal in a pub restaurant area even if that area could safely socially distance 50 or 100,” he said “Why can only 10 people be allowed in a dining area of a huge venue that could safely socially distance 120?”
Ferguson questioned the consistency of the government’s approach, noting that people are cramming into supermarkets and working side-by-side on building sites.
“Hotels have done the right thing, put the health of staff and patrons first the moment this pandemic hit – and we will continue to do so – but common sense needs to prevail here too,” he said.
Pubs “need to open sooner rather than later”
Scott Leach, AHA NSW and National President, wrote an opinion piece for The Daily Telegraph discussing the toll the shutdown is having on struggling pubs.
“The costs of our venues keep mounting week after week, month after month – and I know all too well the pressure this is putting on individual hoteliers and their families around NSW,” he said.
“Not only have we had to put off much loved staff, many hoteliers are being pushed to the wall by the social and emotional costs of this pandemic.”
Leach said the typical country pub is losing up to $25-35,000 a month, with the cost for many of suburban and Sydney pubs being even higher.
He noted that the AHA has been making strong representations at the Federal and State levels since the crisis began.
Last week, it provided a set of reopening recommendations to the Australian Government, with the proposals being passed to a medical expert panel to be assessed.
The AHA’s proposal suggested two stages on reopening bars and restaurants.
Stage One would require people in venues to stand 1.5 metres away from each other. Menus would either be single use or covered in plastic and regularly cleaned. If feasible, food might also have to be ordered via a mobile device.
Bollards or markings on the floor have been proposed make bar service orderly. Venues are being encouraged to have a single entry and single exit point to stop people walking into each other with possible identification recordings on entering and temperature checks.
Additionally venues will encourage the use of the COVIDsafe app
No communal free food, such as snacks like chips or peanuts, would be offered. Buffets and communal cutlery trays would also be off the menu.
Staff would receive increased training in safe work health practices with increased cleaning at “all touch points” – such as handrails, tables and chairs. If possible, they would also have daily temperature checks.
Each venue would also have a nominated hygiene, capacity and distancing officer.
“We are preparing for recovery – and all eyes are now on the Northern Territory to lead the way when pubs start to open there in mid-May,” Leach said. “Hopes are high South Australia will soon follow.
“But we need to open sooner rather than later – in a safe, thought out and structured way which follows Government advice – to avoid an even bigger debt cliff for many businesses and the end for others.”
