A Sydney pub has been slapped with two COVID-breach fines after failing a reinspection, as the list of venues getting locked down for cleaning continues to grow.
The Phoenix Hotel in Woollahra had Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors visit twice in June. The policy at the time was largely to help educate and advise operators.
Returning this week, inspectors found COVID safety was still below standard, notably around physical distancing rules and other COVID-19 measures.
The pub was consequently issued a total of $10,000 in fines. Director of Compliance Dimitri Argeres says poor performance on repeat visits must be met with action.
“Now when we return, we want to see that they’ve turned things around. The Phoenix Hotel should have been aware of their sign-in obligations and spacing between chairs, tables and patrons.”
The Director warns that a previous inspection by no means renders a venue safe from another, with potentially escalated consequences.
“We will show up again and we will have higher expectations the next time around. The current escalating approach to noncompliance means that repeated issues may result in venue closures.”
Police were called to the Richmond Hotel in Lismore on 21 August, receiving reports a 20-year-old female had been glassed. The victim was transported to Lismore Hospital and a 27-year-old woman arrested. She was charged with reckless wounding, granted conditional bail to appear at Lismore Local Court 21 September.
Investigating officers from Richmond Police District subsequently issued a $1,100 fine for Licensee permit intoxication on licensed premises, and $5,000 penalty for not complying with COVID 19 directions. A second Lismore licensed venue inspected the same night was also issued with a $5,000 fine over Health Order breaches.
Close to 900 inspections were executed by Liquor & Gaming, SafeWork NSW and NSW Fair Trading officers in a blitz over the past fortnight, issuing fines to 31 hospitality venues.
This makes a total of 90 fines handed out to hospitality businesses, worth $361,000; about 64 per cent to licensed cafes and restaurants, 24 per cent to pubs, hotels and small bars. Problems were mostly around inadequate sign-in procedures and record-keeping, insufficient hygiene and physical distancing measures, and outdated COVID-19 Safety Plans.
Members of the public can easily provide information on businesses’ practices to authorities at nsw.gov.au.
“All venues, particularly those we have previously visited, need to make sure they are fully compliant. If you’re not meeting COVID safe standards you will be held to account.”
It is mandatory for hospitality venues in NSW to have a plan and register it. Approaching 80,000 NSW businesses are now registered as COVID-safe.
Meanwhile, outbreak clusters continue to flare.
NSW Health is urging patrons who visited ALH’s Caringbah Hotel on Saturday 23 August from 8.30 – 11.30pm to self-isolate and get tested if they display any symptoms.
Similarly, anyone who attended Feros’ Highfield in Caringbah on 22 August from 6 – 8.30pm – if there more than two hours people are being considered a close contact of positive case and must immediately isolate until 5 September, while those there for less than two hours are considered casual contacts and should simply monitor for symptoms.
The venues have been closed for a detailed “deep clean”.
The cluster in the Sydney CBD centred around Pitt Street’s City Tattersalls Club has reached at least 28 positive cases. Authorities are saying anyone who attended the club between August 4 and 18, or used its fitness centre on August 19, 21 and 23-25 need to immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.
There is a warning for bus passengers, with two passengers testing positive after travelling on the X39 bus leaving Pitt Street at Australia Square 6:08pm on 20 August. NSW Health says all passengers on that bus need to self-isolate immediately until 3 September and be tested for COVID-19 regardless of symptoms.
The Health department has also issued track-and-trace warnings for: Reddam Early Learning Centre Lindfield, St Pauls Catholic College, the Surry Hills Police Cells Complex, and a homewares store in the Broadway shopping centre.
