While the easing of coronavirus restrictions in Western Australia has been welcomed by many, the hospitality and tourism sectors have warned that a lot of businesses still will not be able to open.
Key points:
- Pubs say it may not be viable to reopen for just 20 patrons
- The Tourism Council is worried about the impact of keeping the Kimberley region closed
- Beauticians say they can’t understand why they can’t reopen yet
There are also concerns about “a nightmare scenario” for the Kimberley region, which remains closed off to travellers as it heads into what is normally its peak season.
Premier Mark McGowan announced today up to 20 customers at a time would be allowed to have a sit-down meal in a cafe, pub or restaurant from May 18, so long as there was room to allow four square metres of space per patron.
The Windsor in South Perth is one of Perth’s biggest pubs, and manager Max Fox-Andrews said it was likely to stay closed.
He said while the hotel had plenty of space for the four-square-metre rule, it was not economically viable to open for only 20 patrons.
“Given the size of the venue, and given the kitchens and the power and the perishable product we’d have to purchase in order for us to remain open, we go by the saying ‘it’s better to