South Australian publicans are rearing to reopen, confident they can make things work and mitigate the health risk as the next stage of COVID-19 restrictions are eased.
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Australian Hotels Association president and local publican David Basheer says venues have increased their cleaning regime and signage, are introducing hand sanitiser at entrances and ensuring dedicated staff members track the number of patrons.
He says some businesses are implementing two-hour limits for dining and bar experiences.
Others will provide disposable paper menus and have removed salt and pepper and table numbers to minimise the spread of the virus.
"A lot of it is about pure hygiene but it's also about giving the customer confidence they're in a venue that takes their responsibilities seriously," Mr Basheer said.
"People are desperate to socialise with their mates, have a beer from the tap and a schnitzel on a plate and not from a takeaway container.
"When the premier announced the new lifting of restrictions, the phone rang off the hook."
Under the eased restrictions, venues can have up to 80 patrons on site provided they are contained to groups of 20 in separate rooms or areas.
Alcohol can also be served to customers as long as they are seated.
Mr Basheer, who owns three hotels, said while some venues could not open viably under the regulations, others were looking forward to trading generating revenue to pay for ongoing costs of up to $35,000.
Although no temporary barriers were needed in his venues to accommodate groups of 20 people, he said he knew of publicans who had been forced to take that step.
"They're really working hard to make it work to maximise their revenue and amount of customers they can have," he said.
King Hotel Group owner Nick Rogers said he had no doubt South Australians would embrace pubs reopening.
Across his three venues, up to 80 per cent had already been booked for the upcoming week.
"In the conversations we've had with customers in our bottle shop, they've all said they can't wait for bars to reopen," Mr Rogers said.
"For customers, who day-in-day-out met with their friends and socialised, it's been a big hole in their lives.
Mr Rogers said under the previous restrictions, his businesses were operating at about 30 per cent, trading through the bottle shops and offering takeaway food.
"The challenges have been there. We've certainly managed to work through them (but) we have a light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
Stage two of restrictions also allows cinemas, theatres, galleries, museums, beauty salons and gyms to reopen.
Australian Associated Press
