COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted and Plans for Hospitality Sector in Australia

At Agape Henry Crux, we witness it firsthand how the COVID-19 pandemic and Government restrictions have adversely impacted businesses in the hospitality sector.

Your tenacity during these times of uncertainty is a testament to the importance of ‘Resilience’.

Please feel free to let us know how we’re able to assist. In the meantime, we hope you’ll find the following information useful to the planning for the months to come.

New South Wales (NSW)

Cafes and restaurants may open with restrictions.

Capacity must not exceed 50 customers or one customer per 4 square metres in an existing seated dining area, whichever is the lesser.
Bookings can only be to a maximum of 10 people.
Anyone entering the premises must provide their name and contact details, including a telephone number or email address.
Operators must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and keep a record of all people entering the premises.

Tables and chairs in food courts are not to be used for the consumption of food or drinks.

Victoria (VIC)

Cafes, restaurants and other food and drink facilities need to:

create a plan for their business that takes into account these guidelines as well as guidance from WorkSafe Victoria;
deep clean the premises before reopening;
set up the venue to ensure physical distancing requirements of one person per four square metres are met and place tables so that any diners on a neighbouring table remain 1.5 metres apart when seated;
display hygiene, physical distancing and wayfinding signage to emphasise to staff and patrons the expectation on all of us to stay safe;
encourage all staff and managers to complete the Victorian Government online coronavirus (COVID-19) training, including ensuring at least one staff member at the venue has completed the training; and
maintain a contact register of all visitors to the venue (first name, telephone number, date and time of visit) including patrons, suppliers, maintenance workers to support contact tracing and store it securely on-site for at least 28 days after the visit.

Queensland (QLD)

In addition to businesses currently required to do so, places of worship and tourism experiences will be required to collect and keep records of people that attend their site to facilitate contact tracing.
Businesses and functions listed under Stage 2 of the Roadmap to Easing Restrictions may have a maximum of 20 patrons in your venue in total.

You may have more than 20 patrons in your venue if you are in compliance with an applicable COVID Safe Industry or COVID Safe Site Specific Plan that has been approved by Queensland Health.
You must still observe social distancing and you must still have no more than an average of 1 person per 4 square meters in your venue at all times.

For any dining-in service with an applicable COVID Safe Industry Plan that allows for more than 20 patrons, you must divide your venue into designated areas that will have no more than 20 patrons within them. In addition:

these patrons must be kept separated from other designated areas by a minimum of 1.5 metres at all times,
they must remain seated when in the designated area,
they must be provided table service by dedicated staff for that designated area and
they must stay only in one designated area for the duration of their visit to your venue.
Patrons may consume alcohol without food at a seated table. However bar services, including seated bar services, are not permitted.

South Australia (SA)

Create a COVID safe plan and your requirements and regulations will auto-populate as you enter your information eg: suburb, size of building, separate rooms etc.

Tasmania (TAS)

COVID Safe templates and checklists.

Western Australia (WA)

COVID Safety Guidelines and Plans

To reopen during Phase 2, businesses need to:

ensure a maximum of 20 people per venue (excluding staff)
comply with conditions outlined in the Phase 2 COVID Safety Guidelines — please read these before completing your plan
ensure a Phase 2 COVID Safety Plan is completed by the person responsible for the premises
display a COVID Safety Plan Certificate in a visible location on the premises — this is included in the plan
maintain a minimum of 4 square metres per person
maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning
maintain attendance records of patrons for contact tracing
carefully manage waiting areas to ensure physical distancing.

To reopen during Phase 3, businesses need to:

ensure up to 100 patrons per single undivided space, up to a maximum of 300 patrons per premises (excluding staff)
comply with conditions outlined in the Phase 3 COVID Safety Guidelines — please read these before completing your plan
ensure a Phase 3 COVID Safety Plan is completed by the person responsible for the premises
display a COVID Safety Plan Certificate in a visible location on the premises — this is included in the plan
maintain a minimum of 2 square metres per person
maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning
maintain attendance records of patrons for contact tracing
carefully manage waiting areas to ensure physical distancing.

Reopening food businesses

Below are the steps food businesses need to take to reopen or expand beyond providing takeaway:

Complete a COVID Safety Plan prior to reopening or expanding beyond takeaway. This should be completed by the person responsible for the business premises. The COVID Safety Guidelines will help you complete your plan.
Display a COVID Safety Plan certificate (you'll find this in the plan).
Maintain a strict minimum of 4 square metres per person.
Ensure a maximum of 20 dine-in patrons per venue (excluding staff).
Maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning.
Ensure staff have completed the AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course before returning to work.
Maintain attendance records of patrons for contact tracing (not including takeaway services).
Carefully manage waiting areas to ensure physical distancing.
For licensed venues, alcohol can only be served with food and consumed at a table (not bar or counter service).

20 patron limit

The total number of dine-in patrons at the venue (including indoor and outdoor areas) must not exceed 20 people at a time.
It does not include staff members. As many staff members as required can be rostered on. Staff should practise physical distancing where possible.
Patrons waiting to collect takeaway food should wait outside the venue if there are already 20 patrons inside the venue.
Time spent inside to order, pay and collect food should be limited and businesses must allow 4 square metres of floor space per patron.
Patrons waiting to collect takeaway food should practice physical distancing by keeping 1.5 metres from patrons from other households.

Dine-in or takeaway food

Physical distancing and hygiene measures apply to all food businesses.
Table service meals can be provided in venues (including licensed venues) ensuring there is 4 square metres of floor space per patron in the dining area, with a maximum of 20 patrons.
Each food business within a multi-venue premise can open to provide table service meals.
Food courts and food vans can remain open for takeaway only.

Bookings

Requirements for bookings or dining time-limits are at the discretion of the owner/manager.
A record of dine-in patrons, including contact details, will be required to ensure contact tracing can be done if necessary.

How Can Agape Henry Crux Help

Our firm has created a Special COVID-19 Taskforce to help our clients battle through and find solutions during this Pandemic. Our team is equipped and trained to advise you on across a wide range of issues you may be encountering in the markets where you operate.

We speak fluent English, Korean, Burmese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian and Malay. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.

COVID-19 Resource Hub