Defiant Victorian publican Trevor Andrews has reopened his Echuca pub, and is seeking help with the massive fines he got for doing so last week.
The Pastoral Hotel in Echuca, in regional Victoria, made news around the country by blatantly opening during a state-wide lockdown. Police had visited previously, warning the proprietor people should not be on the premises.
Police and health inspectors returned, taking Andrews to Echuca Police Station, where he was charged and bailed and received fines totalling nearly $22,000. He faces Echuca Magistrates’ Court in December.
Police also issued more than $100,000 in infringements to patrons who had attended the pub over the three days it was open.
Andrews professed on social media he had no option but to open, having been crippled financially by repeated lockdowns and facing thousands in bills each month while devoid of revenue.
He recklessly implored people to research for themselves, and “stop listening to what the government tells you”.
This week, Victoria lifted what was its fifth lockdown on licensed venues and other businesses.
The next day Andrews proudly threw open the doors again, suggesting pundits “come on down, we are fully open”.
At the same time, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover his fines, suggesting the Victorian government had been of “minimal help” and don’t understand “what people in these industries and small business are actually going through”.
“The Pastoral Hotel in Echuca opened during Victoria’s Lockdown 5.0. Out of sheer desperation they defied the odds and did what so many haven’t had the courage to do and opened their doors to dine in patrons.”
The Facebook post has garnered almost 100 comments so far, with many backing Andrews’ stand.
“And yet the a*holes who shut our whole state down, closing hundreds of businesses down for good, get a meagre $200 fine. Where is the justice? We support you”, and “There’s so many more people on your side then [sic] will ever comment here”.
But others were less impressed, making it clear the publican has brought on his own problems.
“Why did you not consider the financial implications of breaking the law? I take it, that it was not a financial success and now you want others to fund the poor decision you made.”
While many have made promises to ‘drop in’ to the pub, 220 kilometres north of Melbourne, for ‘a beer and a parmy’, so far the agreeance hasn’t manifested into a lot of pledges.
At time of publication the goal to crowd-fund $25k has raised $2,215.
