Hospitality venues welcome easing of restrictions

Businesses in the hospitality industry have been among the hardest hit over the past two years with the COVID pandemic.
Many hospitality venues in NSW are looking forward to the last lot of restrictions being lifted this Friday.
As part of the NSW Government’s staged and flexible approach to managing COVID-19, from last Friday density limits were lifted in hospitality venues and QR check-ins were dumped (and are now only required for night-clubs, music festivals, hospitals, aged and disa-bility facilities).
Singing and dancing is permitted again at all venues (except music festivals, where singing and dancing can recommence from this Fri-day).
From this Friday, masks will no longer need to be worn in most places (and are only man-dated on public transport, planes, and indoors at airports, hospitals, aged and disability care facilities, corrections facilities and indoor mu-sic festivals with more than 1,000 people).
Masks will however be continued to be en-couraged for indoor settings where you cannot maintain a safe distance from others and for customer facing retail staff to protect vulnera-ble people who must access these premises and services.
Local clubs, pubs, restaurants and cafes are cheering they can get back to “normal”.
Cobar Bowling & Golf Club secretary/manager Luke Anderson said having their density limit dropped to just 80 people during the pandemic had been very hard to work with.
“When you have to turn away members, it goes against the nature of hospitality,” Luke said.
He said with the easing of restrictions they can now bring entertainment back to the club.
“Even though some music has been allowed, I could never justify having it when members could not sing or dance.
“That would be like giving a kid a lolly and telling them they’re not allowed to eat it,” Luke said.
Cobar Services Club secretary/manager Lin-da Carter said they will also be able to start booking in entertainment and their Cook-Off and Anzac Day events will be able to go ahead unhampered this year.
“It’s also been an extra burden and cost to our business to have someone on the door to check vaccinations, QR codes, masks etc.,” Linda said.
Both managers said they have noticed that some of their older “at risk” members have been restricting their visits, and they hope that all members will feel confident once again in returning to their venues.