DEPENDING on who you talk to, café weekend trading is either a
must in modern society or going out of fashion.
Going out for coffee is a
mainstay of city life, but country towns paint a different picture.
A recent
attempt by Restaurant and Catering Australia (R&CA) to reduce penalty rates
was rejected by the Fair Work Commission, a move welcomed by the union, Union
Voice.
The attempt by R&CA came after the association made an application
under the modern awards review process in 2012, which highlighted deteriorating
trading conditions since the endorsement of the Restaurant Industry Award
2010.
Had Fair Work Australia decided differently, it may have changed the
landscape of Swan Hill weekend trading.
For Swan Hill cafes, the decision of
whether to open over the weekend is often personal, as so many rely on family to
make up the numbers.
For La Mangia owner Ben Mangiameli and his family,
Sunday has been an opportunity to rest and recuperate after a hectic week in the
coffee trade.”We need a rest,” he said.
“Most of the staff are family
members, so Sunday is when we get a chance to stop after a very busy
week.”
If penalty rates were reduced or dropped, Mr Mangiameli said it would
change the way they operated.”It probably would affect how we do things,” he
said.
“For the first 12 months we were open on Sundays, but on some Sundays
it wasn’t really worth it.”
Cafes and restaurants are starting to see a surge
of business as families and tourists visit town over the holidays.
But come
the new year, many cafes will return to normal trading, and not open on
Sundays.
Sandra Jewson is the owner of Spoons Riverside, one restaurant that
does open during the day on Sundays throughout the year.
Ms Jewson said
opening on Sundays helped attract tourists to the Swan Hill district.
“I stay
open because in this area we do need to attract tourists, and for the benefit of
locals too,” she said.
