Confusion hits food traders

When Premier Daniel Andrews last week announced holiday makers from Melbourne could finish their holidays before returning to lockdown, it unleashed confusion for traders.

Restaurants and cafes on Phillip Island were among the businesses most impacted by the confused message, with many uncertain whether school holidays ended officially last Sunday, or Sunday July 19, which was the extended date made by the Premier in his announcement of the Melbourne lockdown.

While accommodation businesses were able to more clearly follow restriction guidelines, with most tourists generally booking weeks in advance, restaurants generally operate on short notice.

Citrus & Vine’s Sarah Pedersen said it was a “shade of grey” and difficult to enforce drivers’ licence checks.

“We actually don’t know what to do,” she said.

“I support Daniel Andrews in what he’s trying to do to stop the pandemic, but to tell people to finish their holidays and then see the influx migrate to the island ahead of the lockdown deadline, it makes it very confused and difficult.

“How can we as a business on the island try to protect everyone here and in regional Victoria? We don’t want to break the law and we certainly don’t want to be put in the predicament of contracting the virus.”

She questioned whether they were also required to request a customer licence check for takeaway meals.

Other venues on the island said they were still seeing Melbourne residents in restaurants, who “had been on the island prior to lockdown, which is allowable”.

Sarah said last weekend was their final opportunity to make money, with half of all bookings in the next six weeks cancelled.

Cr Stephen Fullarton said Melbourne’s lockdown was a “double-edged sword” for traders.

“Our economy relies on tourism and hospitality, but health-wise we can’t afford to take any risks. We simply don’t have the medical facilities to cope,” he said.

Knuckleheads

San Remo Fishermen’s Co-op manager Paul Mannix said with the start of the lockdown he expected business would slow down “even though it sounds like some people have bent the rules by scooting down here”.

He said the Co-op maintained ongoing protocols, continuing take-away only, social distancing, sanitiser on entry and no cash, card-only payment.

“Right from the start we tried to be as safe as we could, for the benefit of our customers, our staff and our commercial fishermen too,” Paul said.

“In general our safety policies have worked quite well, other than having to deal with the odd knucklehead who acts like COVID doesn’t even exist.”

Fork n Waffle’s Ben White confirmed last Thursday they were still seeing Melbourne customers.

“But they are still on their holidays so they are allowed to be here. We are not checking any more than the required mobile upon entry. If I need to hire another person to check IDs it would be ridiculous,” said Ben, reminding customers they would permanently close from July 19 because of the economic hit from the pandemic.

“The rules are in place, we can only hope they follow them.”