Hunter Business Chamber welcomes new outdoor guidelines
The Hunter Business Chamber has welcomed the State Government’s relaxation of restrictions on outdoor venues and for musical performances.
From Friday, venues will be able to accommodate one person per two square metres in outside areas, effectively doubling their outdoor capacity, and up to 500 people will be able to attend musical performances held outdoors.
“This relaxation of restrictions following a busy holiday period sends a positive message that the Government is actively looking to support businesses in the hardest-hit sectors,” Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes said.
“This will allow some venues to build on the capacity they have developed in recent months and expand into outdoor dining and entertaining into the warmer months.”
However, Mr Hawes said businesses and patrons needed to remain mindful of the risk of virus transmission and adhere to COVID protocols.
“We have seen how quickly things can change from even a single infected person going into a crowded environment and the last thing businesses need as they begin to scale back up to near-normal levels is the re-imposition of restrictions,” Mr Hawes said.
Mr Hawes said it was promising that the Government had indicated a further easing of restrictions was in the pipeline.
“If this phase goes well, and community transmission remains suppressed, we hope to see a uniform relaxation of restrictions for venues to one person per two square metres, encompassing both indoor and outdoor spaces.”
