Confusing rules a dud note for Bar
A LIVE music venue owner says he has “lost faith” in the state government’s process for reopening after conflicting advice led to him cancelling weekend performances.
Piano Bar Geelong owner Andy Pobjoy said he had been advised by industry bodies earlier this week that live venues could not hold indoor performances.
Available government advice appeared to reinforce that message, as Mr Pobjoy said Piano Bar was classed as an indoor performance venue.
Plans to open for performances this weekend at its Ballarat venue, which was providing seated patrons food, were cancelled as a result and is set to cost the business, which has already been hit hard by coronavirus.
“Piano Bar without piano is just bar,” he said. “I think there’s this perception of live music that people go crazy and lose all sense of social distancing — we haven’t seen any evidence of that.”
Mr Pobjoy said a ban on indoor live music would have been devastating as the business continued to pay rent on its four regional venues, while revenue had been hit hard due to the pandemic.
On Friday, after contacting MP Christine Couzens, the venue received Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation advice that clarified live music could proceed subject to relevant patron caps and with social distancing measures in place.
Piano Bar will continue hosting performances outdoors in Geelong, including entertainment held at the racecourse.
Mr Pobjoy said there had been mixed messaging about what was or not permitted.
The mixed messaging also caused concern about the future reopening of the much-loved Malop Street business and its Colac site that centre on piano covers of classic tunes.
Government advice available online on Friday said: “Indoor performance venues cannot open to the public under the third step of the reopening roadmap.
“If these venues have outdoor fixed seated spaces, they can open for outdoor events in line with restrictions.”
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said: “Venues in regional
Victoria can have live music playing as part of the drinking/dining service offered to patrons, provided that they comply with all relevant restrictions applying to licensed premises and food and drink facilities and follow a COVID safe plan.”
Ms Couzens acknowledged the situation had been confusing and said she had sought clarity on the rules.
A VCGLR spokeswoman said it could not comment on individual cases.
But the spokeswoman offered word-for-word the same advice as that found on the DHHS website.