Melbourne eateries are preparing outdoor settings already and the Saturday Herald Sun reported that major companies within the retail and hospitality industry were briefed this week on reopening. They were told to start restacking shelves and prepare to open as early as Wednesday or Thursday, a few days earlier than had been originally anticipated, provided there are no new outbreaks.
The sector hopes to be cranking cash registers midweek ahead of the Christmas rush though they don’t expect this year’s rush to be as profitable as previous years.
Helen Glynatsis of Aegean Tavern in Brunswick told Neos Kosmos the easing of lockdown measures after 12 weeks will not be enough to tempt the big tavern on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy to reopen.
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“Unless we put cross every 1.5m on the dance floor and people can hold towels out to dance, we will not be able to do much,” Ms Glynatsis wryly said, adding that she did not expect the situation to improve before Christmas, usually a busy time for the venue.
Nikos Diakopanagiotis of Nikos Tavern also told Neos Kosmos that he feared that usually busy Christmas and New Year would be a write-off this year.
Plans for outdoor dining would be reliant on Melbourne weather which is unpredictable and not conducive to dining under the stars as per the government’s measures.