THE glasses are being raised by Swan Hill’s hospitality industry as more patrons can wine and dine-in.
From Thursday at 11.59pm hospitality venues, including cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants, were able to open for seated service to fully vaccinated patrons, welcoming up to 30 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, density limits permitting.
Entertainment venues are capped at 30 people indoors and 300 people outdoors.
Density limits and service however remain dependent on vaccination status of staff and patrons.
On Friday, Peachy’s Bar co-owner Claudia Farrow told The Guardian everyone who attended that morning had complied with the new vaccination certificate rules.
“Everyone who has come in so far has been happy to oblige and seems to be across it,” Ms Farrow said.
“They know that this is what’s happening from now on.”
A sign at the entry explains who can and cannot attend the venue dependent on their vaccine status.
Ms Farrow was happy the venue could open up for more patrons.
“That’s why we’re happy to cop the rules on the chin,” she said.
Ms Farrow said when it comes to policing whether people had been vaccinated or not, it was no different to other rules and restrictions in place for hospitality venues throughout the pandemic in the past two years.
“It’s just another thing that we have to do,” she said.
Those who are unvaccinated or do not wish to disclose their vaccination status can still order a meal from the venue, but it must be takeaway.
Ms Farrow said with the high vaccination rate in the Swan Hill local government area (around 95 per cent for first doses, and almost 76 per cent of second doses for eligible people), the impact on the business was minimal.
Ms Farrow welcomed the increased capacity allowed at hospitality venues.
“It’s been really difficult for us in the past few weeks of restrictions, with only 10 inside and 20 outside,” she said.
“Having 20 people inside makes a huge difference because the weather has been poor lately, so when it’s been raining, we filled our capacity inside because we don’t have shelter outside.”
If the patrons’ vaccination status is not being checked, hospitality venues can allow up to 10 people indoors and 30 people outdoors apply, plus density limits.
Come Friday at 6pm pubs, restaurants and cafes can open for seated service to fully vaccinated people indoors and non-seated service to up to 500 fully vaccinated people outdoors.
When visiting a public gallery in Victoria, all visitors aged 16 and over need to be fully vaccinated to enter and provide verification of their vaccination status.
Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery director Ian Tully said the gallery’s front office staff would check the vaccination status of patrons as they enter the venue.
Mr Tully said over the weekend, patrons had been understanding of the requirements.
“It’s a moving feast, so although the restrictions open up earlier … all we can do is be guided by and follow the rules for the time,” Mr Tully said.
“Then we need to be prepared to either implement new rules, or ease them where necessary.
“It is a challenge keeping across it, but that’s what we’re doing.”
Currently, the gallery can accept 30 fully vaccinated people indoors and 300 people outdoors, but coming together with the rules in metropolitan on Friday, the capacity is set to increase.
