Phased openings

Many of the region’s bigger hospitality and wine businesses say State Government restrictions remain too tough for a full return to operations. Despite an expected influx of travellers to the region when the South West checkpoint opens on Monday, only about a quarter of local wineries will be permitted to offer wine tastings under Phase Two COVID-19 restrictions, and iconic attractions such as Settlers Tavern will remain shut. “The relaxed restrictions announced on Sunday will allow hospitality venues to accommodate a maximum of 20 patrons at any one time,” Settlers proprietor Rob Gough said. “For Settlers Tavern, and other larger venues, this is not financially sustainable due to operational overheads, including large utility costs.” The restrictions also made small venues such as Sidekick Cafe unviable, he said. White Elephant Cafe owner Anthony Janssen said the Gnarabup operation would continue its reduced trading offering. Operator Karen Macdonald would reopen Riversmith next week with reduced hours and capacity, due to limits which made staffing difficult. “We hope to be back open fully — with our back area closed (for redevelopment) — at the next stage, but worried if no interstate or international tourists, we will have a long road back to normality,” she said. Margaret River Wine Association chief executive Amanda Whiteland said Phase 2 restrictions limited tastings to just 24 mostly larger, more established wineries with on-site restaurants. About 95 wineries would be forbidden from allowing product samples. Brown Hill Estate owner Nathan Bailey said he was unable to offer tastings at his cellar door for the past eight weeks, which in combination with the travel bans, resulted in a steep fall in visitors. “As a small family winery, the cellar door is absolutely critical and would represent 40 to 50 per cent of our sales,” Mr Bailey said. “It’s a little bit unfair that some of the larger cellar doors because they have a restaurant can offer tastings whereas the smaller ones like us can’t.” Warren-Blackwood MLA Terry Redman said he was surprised the intrastate borders would relax when many tourism businesses would not be able to serve visitors. “Visiting a winery to buy wine, yet being banned from having a tasting, simply does not make sense,” he said. “It appears to be an over-reaction when larger wineries with a restaurant are allowed to seat up to 20 people with wine and food.” Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association co-chief executive Steve Harrison said operators were ready to welcome visitors, but there were challenges. “Although every business would want to be back serving customers, for some it won’t be viable to open immediately,” he said. Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said alcohol at cellar doors could only be provided when it was “ancillary to a meal” which was the same rule in place for pubs. “It’s not what everyone would like,” he said. “We are in a staged process. We’ve got to be careful, you can’t do everything at once.”