A hard-earned thirst to get back to the pub is brewing as the light at the end of the tunnel comes into focus for locked-down venues to reopen, in a matter of weeks.
The NSW and Victorian governments are poised to lift stay-at-home orders and allow venues to welcome back patrons – so long as all staff and adults over 16 years are double-vaxxed.
Reopening is expected to be subject to conditions of:
- 1 person per 4sqm inside, and 1 per 2sqm outside
- Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, as well as public transport and business premises, except for children under 12
- Hospitality staff will be required to wear masks even outdoors
Government will release further guidance on isolation requirements for close and casual contacts who have been fully vaccinated.
A key aspect of reducing the risk of COVID-19 spreading once restrictions are eased will be the restricted entry to doubled-dosed patrons. To facilitate this the NSW and Victorian governments are in the final stages of developing technology that will incorporate an upgraded QR code system and phone app.
Vaccination certificates are to be linked with state check-in apps, using a unique code authenticated against the federal immunisation register.
The “pub pass” will prove the holder is vaccinated, displaying a green ‘tick’ on the user’s app, allowing them to enter compliant pubs, restaurants and events.
People without a smartphone will need to download a stand-alone certificate that will be cross-checked with identification.
It’s thought prospect of a safe place where people are known to be vaccinated could encourage more people to go out.
Some LGAs are also responding to evolving consumer preferences with talk of extended hours. North Sydney Council is promoting an 18-hour economy in the precinct’s CBD.
Slightly north, Willoughby Council is weighing a proposal by Redcape’s Willoughby Hotel to open its doors beyond current licensed hours, shifting from midnight close to 2am Monday to Saturday, and from 10pm to midnight on Sundays. It joins ALH’s Monkey Bar in Chatswood, extending trading hours until 4am.
The feedback is the revised hours are a response to patron behaviour shifting toward late-night patronage since restrictions began, bolstered by the work-from-home trend, which is widely expected to continue.
Plans for extended hours incorporate mitigating potential noise impacts and measures to address anti-social behaviour, such as CCTV, increased security and barring policies.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has proposed the new regime will kick in from the Monday after NSW passes its 70 per cent double-vaccination target.
The latest data shows NSW at 80.7 per cent first dose and 49.6 per cent second dose – significantly ahead of the National average, being 69.8 and 44.7 per cent (respectively).
Victoria is somewhat behind that of NSW, at 69.3 and 42.4 per cent.
NSW has been sticking more than 20-thousand second doses per day into people’s arms, and if that rate is maintained the target of 70 per cent could be reached in around 25 days.
It’s also been suggested that when NSW hits 80 per cent double-dosed further freedoms will transpire, including major events and international travel. A pilot program is underway for a home-based quarantine system to replace the hotel system, amid a push to allow back both foreign tourists and Australian residents.
AHA NSW CEO John Whelan is one of many proclaiming the road out of lockdown is great news for pubs, staff and patrons.
“We’ve all had enough of existing like this. Let’s get vaccinated and get our lives back.”
Even Victoria Bitter has joined the push, revising its 53-year-old anthem yet again to call on Aussies to help get back to normality, and the pub.
“A hard-earned thirst comes from being all over town. Not from being in lockdown.”