By Oliver Lees
Macedon Ranges businesses are still battling with lockdown measures despite restrictions easing last week, as the state recorded 473 cases in the 24 hours to Monday morning.
The Macedon Ranges has enjoyed greater freedoms since midnight Thursday, with the five essential reasons for leaving home dropped, allowing those outside of metropolitan Melbourne to circulate freely in all regional areas except Shepparton.
Despite the easing, the new cap of 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors across hospitality and retail has added further delay to some businesses wishing to reopen.
Little Swallow Cafe in Kyneton was among the traders that decided it was still not economically viable to open over the weekend.
Business Kyneton president Kate Fairley said that while she agrees with a “slow and steady” easing of restrictions, she understands that the current measures aren’t a return to normal for many traders.
“When you consider the cost of a chef, waitstaff, power, all these overheads, it’s just not practical for a lot of people,” Ms Fairley said.
“It’s also frustrating because I’ve been hearing feedback where customers have been annoyed at business owners for not completely reopening.
“I think that’s a real shame, people don’t seem to understand what it costs to run a business.”
Ms Fairley said it was important that consumers honoured their bookings at restaurants and cafes in order to give traders the best opportunity to turn a profit.
The 473 cases recorded on Monday morning has taken the total number of active cases across the state to 3507.
Three exposure sites were listed in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges over the weekend. They are: Beginners Early Learning centre in Sunbury (tier one), Woodend Railway Station (tier two) and Cellarbrations Woodend (tier two).
More than 40 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and above have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, with greater freedoms promised in metropolitan areas when that number reaches 70.
For vaccine bookings, visit: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au
For more information on exposure sites: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites
