Call to ease virus rules

THE operator of multiple Gold Coast nightclubs says if patron restrictions inside were eased, venues could better control queues outside.

There are fears nightclubs could be forced to close again just after being allowed to reopen due to alarm at crammed patron lines outside venues.

A number of Brisbane nightclubs in Fortitude Valley were spotted flouting social distancing rules at the weekend, with health officials saying they were playing “Russian roulette” with their families’ lives. Clubs on the Gold Coast also had queues.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there would be “consequences” if coronavirus rules were not followed.

But Hallmark Group, which own Surfers Paradise clubs Retros and Asylum, said it would be the “worst case scenario” if they closed again.

Marketing boss Tammy Wood said if patron limits of one per 4sq m for venues above 200sq m were eased to one patron per 2sq m it would help.

“We have eager partygoers who want to come in, (but) us being restricted to small numbers, outside the venue is a lot harder to manage,” she said.

“We’ve had signs up outside as well and we are managing the best we can.

“The worst part is when people have lined up for so long and are then being turned away because we are at those lower capacity numbers.

“If restrictions could ease to one (person) per 2sq m, we could manage that a whole lot easier inside our venues, rather than being packed (outside).

“We’re very strict about abiding by the rules and safety measures and we have everything in place.”

Retros is trading with a limit of 100 and Asylum is at 130.

She admitted that when clubs reopened it was hard to get people to follow rules but last weekend everyone was understanding: “With the no dance rule, you have to give a few reminders before having to say ‘sorry guys, you have to leave now’. But that was mostly (happening) the first weekend.”