A Queensland Health plan to heavily curb wait staff movements will have such a financial impost on pubs they will not open despite the easing of restrictions, says an industry body.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Starting midday Monday, pubs, clubs and restaurants will be able to seat 20 patrons while from June 5 that number could increase to 20 per area within a premises if a COVID safe industry plan is in place.
Patrons will need to be seated, table service provided and staff will be limited to only one area, says Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.
Each area has to meet the one person per four square metre criteria and patrons are not to move around a venue, she says.
"Now you can have multiple groups of 20, if you can make sure those groups don't interact with one another...and as long as staff don't move from group to group," Ms Young told reporters.
Restricting staff movement will hobble many venues during slow periods and the financial pain will not make it worth them opening, says Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan.
"If you're down to four people in one area, two in another and six in another, you can't move them together, but you have to have one-on-one service, all you are doing is magnifying the losses," he said.
"We would not be instructing our members to work in a loss-making manner."
Clubs Queensland acting CEO Dan Nipperness was grateful the easing of restrictions had been brought forward a fortnight.
"You are not going to see a rush of venues reopening," he said.
Australian Associated Press
