SA pubs will be allowed to trade at 50% capacity from next week, during a third phase of restriction easing in the state.
Changes to the number of patrons allowed mean there will be up to one person per 2sqm allowed, up from one every 4sqm. And patrons can stand up and have a drink at the bar, so long as they are socially distanced from other patrons.
Australian Hotels Association SA chief executive Ian Horne told the Adelaide Advertiser: “Stand-up drinking is a significant positive step,” he said. “You’ll be able to stand at the bar, in the beer garden or around the eight-ball table.
“It’s going to make going to the pub or the club or the bar more normal.”
Premier Steven Marshall said SA would be “more open than any other place in the country, and pretty much any place in the world”, from on Monday.
Marshall says larger venues, such as Adelaide Oval, will also be allowed to cater to up to 50% of their normal capacity from June 29, provided health officials have approved their COVID-19 safety plans.
There is no formal fourth phase in the South Australian COVID-19 recovery road map. Higher-risk activities in a “future steps” group include large outdoor gatherings, salad bars and buffets and nightclubs. They can now make special application to operate.
Western Australian rules relaxed this weekend
In addition to the good news for SA pubs, Australian Hotels Association (Western Australia) has welcomed the announcement that WA restrictions will ease to Phase 4 on Saturday.
Share the content
