The days of slamming down sad Yellow Tail bottles of wine on your lonesome are nearly over for NSW folk. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that from June 1st, pubs, cafes and restaurants will be able to serve up to 50 people at a time.
The new relaxed laws will require establishments to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines implementing a four-square-metre per patron rule. There will be a limit of 10 people per booking, and all patrons must be seated.
“There is no mingling, no standing around,” Ms Berejiklian explained. “Nobody will be able standing up in these venues.”
Berejiklian emphasised that these new measures were “important, critical, big step”, that will only succeed if people abide by social distancing.
“Even something as simple as having joint cutlery on a table won’t be able to exist anymore,” she said.
“It’s time to get out, time to enjoy yourself, but also it’s time to be very, very cautious, because the virus is still amongst us,” added Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
The new measures come a week after the announcement that cafes and restaurants were allowed to reopen to ten patrons, providing they served food. Many establishments decided against reopening as a 10-patron limit was not financially secure.
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Trying to envision a society where we’re all seated at pubs as if knights at a round table is totally weird and alien but I kind of dig it. I have to wonder how these new measures will impact pub playlists. Will we see a renaissance of Elliott Smith-core “chill” playlists soundtracking the piss sinking ritual with our friends?
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has praised NSW for leading the charge in reopening the nations economy — emphasising that the move would save thousands of jobs,. “There are about 280,000 people employed in this sector of the economy and allowing venues to safely cater for more customers will provide another boost to business and jobs,” Mr Perrottet said via Sydney Morning Herald.
