NEWS DESK
Tables being set for dining outdoors Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au RESTAURANTS, cafes and pubs are being given the green light to extend their table service outside as Mornington Peninsula Shire – and the state government – relax rules around outdoor dining permits. Hundreds of hospitality businesses are expected to apply for free, temporary extended outdoor dining permits, in advance of next Monday’s (2 November) opening. Planning Minister Richard Wynne said venues could use open spaces, including streets, footpaths and car parks to “add to venue capacity while restrictions reduce the number of patrons allowed for indoor dining”. Businesses including restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, function and reception centres and wineries can also avail themselves of the new “parklets”, which repurpose car parking spaces outside shop fronts. The relaxed rules will enable food businesses to reopen and be profitable while complying with social distancing measures and space restrictions. Hospitality venues will be limited to a maximum 20 patrons indoors and 50 outdoors, both subject to density requirements. “Mornington Peninsula Shire is getting on with the process required to make outdoor dining a reality,” CEO
John Baker said. “We understand this is a very stressful and uncertain time for traders and we are committed to getting the permits and infrastructure in place to make extended outdoor dining happen in a timely and safe manner. “Now that applications are open we will work will traders on what is the best option for their business and begin issuing permits so they can make decisions and simply get on with things.” While extended outdoor dining will be rolled out across the peninsula under three and six-month permits, the state government said the relaxed rules would extend until the state of emergency ends in 12 months. Mr Baker said affected businesses could apply for grants up to $5000 from the state government’s $87.5 million Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package to help pay for such items as outdoor furniture, umbrellas and screens. The grants will be available to licensed and unlicensed cafes, restaurants, takeaway food businesses, pubs, taverns, bars and clubs with a payroll of less than $3 million. The shire has also received $500,000 from the state government to support expanded outdoor dining, which it will spend on essential infrastructure, traffic and transport measures and waiving permit fees. Details: mornpen.vic.gov.au/outdoordining
Radio with pictures: On the set of radio station’s RPP’s Children First Foundation gala ball are John Shore and Amy Campion (front), Elizabeth Myers, Luke Shore and Stephen Myers (back) and Tamara Newing, who supplied the food, (centre). Picture: Yanni
Radio turns to TV to ‘rescue’ gala ball RADIO station RPP FM turned to television to hold a virtual gala ball that raised $75,000 for the Children First Foundation. Realising restrictions caused by COVID-19 would destroy its major 2020 event, foundation executive officer Elizabeth Lodge approached RPP breakfast host John Shore who arranged a TV broadcast of the big night. “We dared to dream, took a risk, and the outcome was awesome,” she said. Observing strict COVID protocols, the RPP crew of MC John Shore, co-host Amy Campion and technical
producer Steve Meyers, used RPP’s TV broadcasting ability to stream the event live to a national audience. The at-home attendees enjoyed gourmet hampers of premium Mornington Peninsula produce while being entertained, listening to speakers, and bidding at auctions on the night. “We shared the kids’ and the foundation's stories,” Mr Shore said. “We passed our target by more than $15,000, brought joy into homes across the country, and had loads of fun along the way.” The Children First Foundation has been arranging life-changing, some-
times life-saving, surgery in Australia for disadvantaged children from developing countries since 1999. Its members believe that every child has a basic right to a healthy, happy life regardless of where they are born. Ms Lodge says the TV event might have re-shaped the way the foundation fund raises in the future. “The outpouring of positive feedback and compliments has been overwhelming,” she said. “It was gutsy and it worked. “Our gratitude to all at RPP is immense. [They] truly did change a child’s life with the night.”
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Looking and listening out for Mornington The team at Specsavers Mornington encourage locals to visit if they aren’t seeing and hearing as well as they could be Since their opening 12 years ago, Specsavers Mornington owners Bernard Chung, Helen Chung and Run Yan have been committed to providing the Mornington community with the best value eye care, and now the best value ear care with new Audiology partner Jade Wong. Following a recent expansion, the business now offers five optical rooms and one audiology room, with a free five-minute hearing screen included as part of their overall health check in store. This provides all local community members with access to quality bulk-billed eye tests using local optometrists and free hearing screenings with audiologists, along with state-of-the-art testing technology. Store co-owner and optometrist Bernard Chung says, “By providing this offering, we’re giving truly accessible health care for our customers’ eyes as well as their ears. The earlier we detect and treat eye health problems and hearing loss, the less of an impact the problem will have on a person’s overall health long term,” says Bernard. Bernard recommends that everyone should have an eye test and hearing screen every two years, and more often if you notice any changes to your vision or hearing.
For more information or to book a hearing check, visit specsavers.com.au/hearing Alternatively contact Specsavers Mornington on 5975 5689.
Specsavers Mornington 106 Main Street, Mornington, VIC, 3931 Tel 03 5975 5689 specsavers.com.au/mornington Book an eye test online
Mornington News
27 October 2020
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