Traders on ease-y street

Hopeful lower restrictions will lift trade

AFTER beach-loving visitors flocked to the region to enjoy the warm weekend, Surf Coast businesses are hopeful COVID-19 restrictions will soon ease to allow for greater trade.

Salty Dog Cafe owner James Zocchi said the weekend surge in takeaway orders was “phenomenal”, with an influx of day trippers heading to Torquay on Saturday as the mercury reached 21C.

“It was comparable to a typical Easter long weekend kind of day,” Mr Zocchi said.

“We were flat stick – we couldn’t have sold any more coffees, we were going as fast as we could for around eight hours straight.

“It was nice to see lots of people out again. I think it was a combination of people having ‘cabin fever’ and the beautiful weather.”

Daniel Andrews announced on Monday that the state government was preparing to unveil a plan to “reopen” the state.

The Premier said he would release a “road map” out of COVID-19 lockdown next Sunday to provide certainty and clarity for businesses moving forward.

The government is currently finalising a series of “COVID-safe” principals to ensure business can survive, adapt and reopen safely.

Regional Victoria businesses this month returned to takeaway orders only due to COVID-19 restrictions, having reopened for dine-in customers for two months. Stage 3 restrictions are currently in place across regional Victoria until September 13.

Mr Zocchi said he was hopeful that regional businesses could soon return to Stage 2 restrictions, which would allow operators to open to a limited dine-in capacity heading into the September school holidays.

“It will mean all the restaurants and the pub will be able to get a bit more normality back,” he said.

“You can only be doing so much takeaway – we need people sitting down and having a meal and enjoying a drink.”

Bomboras owner Tom McGrath said his takeaway trade on the weekend had been strong.

“It was good considering everything, but it was still nothing like normal,” he said. “You couldn’t help but think, ‘Imagine what it would’ve been like if we were able to fully open’. Even a great weekend on takeaway is about 15 per cent of what we usually do.”

Mr McGrath said it was important that businesses were provided with timelines soon ahead of the busier summer period, as owners needed months to plan ahead.

“We hire around 50 per cent more staff during summer – but we don’t know at this stage whether we do that or hold off,” he said.

“It would be good if we could have some guidance so we can plan and start to put some things in place with what we’re doing up until Christmas.”