The Restaurant Association is calling on the Government to make amendments to the trading restrictions on restaurant businesses in the event of a return to a level 4 alert. At alert Level 4 back in March, a blanket ban was placed on hospitality operations, meaning 98 percent of Restaurant Association member businesses had no ability to generate revenue.
It is now urging the government to continue to allow the operation of contactless delivery should we return to Aler Level 4.
“Delivery options continue to be made available to other businesses such as online retail and supermarkets. Our industry has already proven it can operate a safe contactless service at level 3, so we see no reason why these couldn’t be extended to level 4,” said Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois.
An urgent survey of Restaurant Association members indicated that just over 50 percent would be in support of the Government making this change for hospitality at Alert Level 4, should we have to return and 14 percent would need more information before making a final call.
“We have seen unmitigated success with contactless food delivery, following the creation and introduction of Alert Level 3 operation guidelines,” continued Bidois.
These guidelines set out how food and beverage businesses can implement safe contactless delivery programmes.
“It is our view that should we return to Alert Level 4, the Government removes the current Alert Level 4 restriction on contactless food delivery and takes steps to ensure it can continue. We also continue to call on Government to deliver the additional fiscal relief we’ve been asking for since we came out of level 3 in May.
“Among our Membership alone we have had more than 50 businesses close, which is around 1000 jobs losses, and we are anticipating more closures as the end of the wage subsidy draws near, so we need the government to step up and offer a continuation of the wage subsidy which is desperately needed if this lock down period is to be extended,” Bidois concluded.
