CHAFFEY’S Restaurant manager Melinda Layton is looking forward to getting “a bit of normality back”.
Victorian cafes, restaurants and other spaces where groups gather have reopened with 20-person limits under changes to lockdown rules on Monday.
Patrons at eateries still need to maintain 1.5 metres between tables and contact details will be collected to assist in rapid tracing if anyone falls ill with COVID-19.
“As a smaller, more intimate restaurant, we can work with the 20 guests maximum,” Ms Layton said of her Mildura business.
“The restrictions suggest a two-hour time limit per group so we can have two sittings each night.
“We are, however, looking forward to the next stage of restrictions lifting so we can return all of our tables to the restaurant.”
Premier Daniel Andrews acknowledged the situation was “not perfect” for hospitality businesses.
But Ms Layton said she accepted the restrictions were in place for everyone’s safety.
“We just feel fortunate that we are able to reopen and that the hospitality industry in Mildura can start to recover,” she said.
“We are also looking forward to seeing the other cafes and restaurants in town emerge from all of this.”
Chaffey’s has returned with a different look given the coronavirus restrictions, with spacing between tables as well as sanitising stations.
“We have revised and implemented various processes involving additional cleaning and sanitising between guests,” Ms Layton said.
“All staff have successfully completed their return-to-work learning and staff temperatures are taken daily along with completing the required health questionnaire at the beginning of each shift.”
To survive during the lockdown, the restaurant started a Chaffey’s at Home takeaway service, which will continue to offer for pick-up only for another few weeks.
“The Mildura community is very supportive of each other, especially in trying times,” Ms Layton said.
“We are not surprised by the level of support we have received for Chaffey’s at Home. We are, however, certainly humbled by the level of support we received each week.
“We already have a number of bookings throughout the week and are at currently at capacity this Saturday night. People are no doubt keen to get out and about.”
