When the Armatree Hotel suffered a loss of "probably above $200,000" from large functions alone in one week at the start of the coronavirus outbreak in March, it was just the start of the challenges to come.
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The venue crowned NSW's Best Bush Pub in 2019 for the second year in a row was, like the rest of the industry, plunged into a more than two-month shutdown, and only able to offer takeaway food and alcohol. Lib Walker, who with husband Ash owns the hotel, said the experience had forced every business to "really think outside the square".
She reports of patronage from locals and visitors alike returning since the doors reopened in June, but said there was no easy recovery.
"When we reopened, pretty well all of NSW reopened and so many travellers, caravanners, just people on the road, it was massive, the first six weeks of reopening was insanely busy," she said.
"...yes, we've been busy, but the thing to remember is that when shutdown happened and with losing weddings and concerts and things, we took an immediate probably above $200,000 loss straight up in a week, which was really tough to take."
Under COVID safety protocols, the hotel bar area's maximum capacity has been cut to 21, while its dining area now sits a mere 10 people.
The course to gain COVID-safe status had not been "overly arduous" and was "very common sense", Mrs Walker said. But operating under the rules involved a lot more work, and prices didn't change, she said.
"We have already had a SafeWork COVID inspection a few weeks ago, and that gets the heart racing a little bit... because you don't want to cop a fine, but we got there and we passed, that's the main thing," she said.
The publican was "not confident there would not be another shutdown", and said if restrictions kept getting tighter, it made "you wonder how successfully you could operate". Nevertheless, Mrs Walker is staying focused and positive, and thinking of ways to pivot if necessary.
"Father's Day is around the corner, we've just started advertising for bookings for that, and depending on what happens, if there is a shutdown, we'll work on Father's Day hampers," she said.
"But at the moment, we'll just take our bookings and work towards a nice successful lunch, but you've just got to be... you've got to have it in your business model of planning for another shutdown, unfortunately.
"Obviously nobody wants to be shut down again and we're hoping we can get through it all again, but I think common sense needs to prevail, and to their credit the government's done a great job, because no one else would want to be in their position."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
