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Friday 3 December 2021
Hospitality under Orange
Golden Bay hospitality owners, clockwise from left: Steve Matthews and Steven Oliver, Kotare Sands; Katrina and Neil Ward, Ratanui Lodge; Jon Fraser, The Courthouse Café; Jane Dixon, Mussel Inn; Aydee Green, The Wholemeal Café; Holly Osmond, Roots Bar and Dada Manifesto; Jean Bruning, The Telegraph Hotel; Simona Barnova, Roots Bar and Dada Manifesto; and Sutatip Kattiya, O’Sha. Photo: Alistair Hughes. ALISTAIR HUGHES
A mere 10 days ago, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that, as of today, the nation would be adopting a new three-tier Covid Protection framework, otherwise known as the traffic light system. Vaccination rates, amongst other factors, determine whether a region is designated Red, Orange or Green, and each of these categories impose specific restrictions on the operation of hospitality venues. Golden Bay is currently designated Orange. Presentation of vaccination certificates is now mandatory for customer entry to premises, but staff members electing for vaccination has also become a condition of their continued employment. I n t he f a ce of t h ese far reaching developments, local hospitality owners met at The Wholemeal Café in Tākaka last week to discuss the best way forward, and to clarify their own situation. Holly Osmond, manager of the Roots Bar and Dada Manifesto, opened the meeting. “Our reason for being here is that we’re
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all opting in on the traffic light system, and we want to let the community know, and understand what it means for us.” The first topic of conversation was inevitably dealing with potentially uncooperative customers. “In terms of people who are not vaccinated and still try to come into the establishment, we’re here to say: ‘please don’t’. The forced confrontation isn’t welcome and we are all so tired of arguing about something that wasn’t our decision in the first place,” Holly emphasised. Also present was host, Wholemeal Café manager Aydee Green. “A lot of our staff are younger people, and they’re not equipped to deal with aggression and abuse,” she said. “And we can’t be there all the time, guarding our staff and our venues.” Steve and Stephen from Kotare Sands suggested that the unpleasant responsibility of turning non-compliant public away might have to fall to their duty managers or possibly someone specifically employed in a security capacity. Holly hoped that wouldn’t be
necessary, suggesting prominent signage reminding patrons of their responsibilities to produce a vaccine certificate could circumvent any need for debate. “But also, as a licensed premises, we actually have the right to refuse service to anyone we choose at any time and that should be enough. I don’t believe we will have much trouble from this community, but we are within our rights to call the police if someone refuses to leave, for example, which would be pretty awkward, really”. The business owners present were keen for the community to understand that they have not created this situation, it is a government response to a national health emergency and a legal requirement to remain in business. Non-compliance with the new regulations on their part will lead to a fine of up to $15,000. Jane Dixon from the Mussel Inn pointed out that scrutiny from official enforcement is likely to be high, due to the stance against vaccination adopted by many in Golden Bay. “I think the majority of the community... Continued on page 2
Orange Golden Bay JO RICHARDS
In the end, or perhaps at the beginning, the worst fears about the Government’s traffic light system were not realised. Rather than starting with a Red light, the Nelson-Marlborough region, along with the rest of the South Island, has been designated Orange. Chair of Golden Bay Promotion Association Marg Braggins expressed relief at the decision. “We’re extremely pleased with the Orange-level traffic-light decision and are predicting a busy season for the Bay because accommodation bookings are looking great.” The key component of the traffic lights system – officially termed the Covid Protection Framework – is the My Vaccine Pass (MVP) which provides proof of an individual’s vaccination status. Starting today, it is a legal requirement to provide a MVP in order to gain access to places that have opted in to the system, such as hospitality venues, events, gatherings and gyms. However, people do not require a MVP to access basic services, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, public transport, and essential health care. Masks are now mandatory on flights, public transport, in taxis, retail, public venues, and encouraged elsewhere. People are also required to keep a record of their whereabouts, either by scanning QR codes or signing paper registers. Below is a brief overview of how the new Orange rules will be applied across range of sectors. For a full explanation, visit the websites listed at the end of this article. Shops and retail Shops, including outdoor markets and banks, can open with capacity limits based on one-metre distancing. They can choose to follow the MVP system, including the requirement for customers to show their Pass before entering the shop. Masks are mandatory. Hospitality venues Cafés, bars, restaurants and nightclubs, can open with no restrictions if they follow MVP requirements but, with the exception of children under the age of 12, only people who show a valid MVP are allowed entry to the venue. Those without a MVP will be able to pick up takeaways if the venue has a contactless way to do this. If a hospitality venue chooses not to follow MVP requirements, it can open for contactless pick-up or delivery only. Continued on page 2
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