Moorabool News The
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Tuesday 22 September, 2020
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Vol 14 No 38
CHEERS to the next step – Publican Daniel Rush is pleased the Royal Hotel in Bacchus Marsh is now open again for business. Photo – Caitlin Bewley
CHEERS!
By Caitlin Bewley (3rd Yr Swinburne Uni)
After a long slog of pubs being closed during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bacchus Marsh residents were finally able to revisit their local, and that they did. The Royal Hotel in Bacchus Marsh opened their doors last Thursday [Sept 17] and were fully booked the entire weekend. Publican Daniel Rush said the team were inundated with calls when they announced the doors were set to open again, even having to close off their online booking system to keep up. “It’s something we’ve been waiting for and petitioning for,” Mr Rush said. “Our industry is one that operates under strict regulations in normal environments, so we’re well equipped to work in a COVID safe way.
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“It’s something pubs locally, and in Melbourne, have been petitioning for, because it’s a safer environment for people to socialise [at the pub] rather than in their own houses,” he said. To get the hospitality ball rolling, Moorabool Shire Council are waiving local business’ outdoor dining permit fees until June 30, 2021. The Victorian State Government is also putting $87.5 million worth of money into Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Packages for businesses. Mayor Cr David Edwards said the waiving of outdoor dining fees would help businesses get back on their feet and help the growth of the local economy. “It’s very exciting to have hospitality venues opening up in our region again and a huge relief to many business owners and workers in the industry.
“Council’s support to help these businesses operate under COVID-19 safe requirements will hopefully help all our hospitality businesses, and importantly, it will help generate local spending again to keep our economy rolling,” Cr Edwards said. When asked what the next few months may look like for The Royal, and their expectations leading up to Christmas, Mr Rush said the hotel will continue to do what they can to provide the community with their services. “We anticipate that we’ll be able to open more and more [as time goes on], however, there will be regulations around density limits. “We don’t anticipate that we will be able to hold our normal functions like we usually do over Christmas, but essentially, we’re anticipating that we’ll still be under new ‘COVID’ normal until the end of the year,” Mr Rush said. “But we’ll continue to adapt to that.”
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