Restaurateur fuming at ‘contradictory’ limits

A SURFERS Paradise “rebel restaurateur” is furious at being allowed to have 20 patrons per area when stadiums can seat thousands from this weekend.

Gold Coast’s Metricon and CBUS Super Stadiums will be able to host crowds of 6500 and 10,000 from Saturday as coronavirus restrictions ease.

But the news this week has Costa D’Oro co-owner Nuccia Fusco fuming, saying she’s “turning away hundreds of customers every week” due to restaurants only being able to seat 20 people per “defined area”.

“(I’ve) never been so frustrated,” she said. “We have regular customers who support us and we (are) better off than a couple of weeks ago but then I wake up to news like this.

“You’re allowed unlimited people in shopping centres and now 10,000 people at stadiums

“We’re turning away hundreds every week, unable to take large bookings.”

Costa D’Oro has been operating on the Glitter Strip since 1987 but was forced to get by on takeaways in March.

This month when 30,000 people attended a Brisbane Black Lives Matter protest, Mrs Fusco said it was “frustrating to see people can go out and protest but small businesses have had to go three months without income”

“I don’t get it. There’s no common sense,” she said. “Restrictions as they stand are so contradictory it’s ridiculous.”

The State Government’s Roadmap to Easing Queensland’s Restrictions states rules could ease from July 10 including a border reopening and crowds of up to 100 – but are “subject to review”.