ONE of Mildura’s iconic businesses has been “poleaxed” to the point where its owner has feared having to shut its doors for good after the fourth lockdown in the past 15 months.
The 130-year-old Mildura Grand Hotel has been bleeding tens of thousands of dollars a day under the strict lockdowns, forcing most of the staff to be laid off amid hundreds of accommodation and function cancellations.
Sunraysia Daily can reveal the devastating toll the lockdowns have taken on the Grand Hotel, which opened in 1891 as the “Mildura Coffee Palace”.
Heading into the latest lockdown, the 100-room four-star hotel – which also has nine function rooms – had an expected 90 per cent occupancy rate last week.
However, this crashed down to just 2 per cent after the lockdown was announced.
Making matters worse, 20 functions — which would have hosted up to 120 people at some of the get-togethers – were cancelled.
It has left the hotel’s managing director, Baljinder Sandhu, pleading with the State Government to completely lift restrictions for regional Victoria later this week.
“We haven’t had a (COVID-19) case here for the last 13 months, so why can’t it be business as usual again?” Mr Sandhu said on Tuesday.
“Even if there’s a ring of steel around Melbourne, at least we can have people from Adelaide, Sydney and regional Victoria travel here.
“The government doesn’t seem to understand how much regional businesses have been suffering in the lockdowns. I’ve gone from 40 staff (before COVID-19) down to five now.
“Some weeks I’ve wondered if we’d have to close for good, it’s been that tough.”
Acting Premier James Merlino indicated on Tuesday there would be a “further easing” of restrictions in regional Victoria later this week.
However, he said Melburnians would be unable to travel to regional Victoria over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
“We absolutely want to run (COVID) into the ground and ensure that there’s no risk of this spreading out into regional Victoria,” Mr Merlino said.
As compensation for the latest lockdown, the government is offering grants of up to $3500 for businesses.
But Mr Sandhu said this “wouldn’t come close” to the hotel’s losses.
“I think it’s a joke,” he said.
“I lose that much money in a few hours, let alone a whole week of lockdown.”
He said that as a “prime product” and “the face of Mildura”, there was “a lot at stake” for his business.
“We have plans to renovate further, but it’s tough to do when you can’t fully open your business,” Mr Sandhu said.
