For the first time in 70 days, Tamworth residents will today be able to have a quiet beer at their local pub.
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With a loosening of COVID-19 restrictions to take effect today, many of the city's pubs and clubs will reopen today.
It's been a hard two months for Tamworth Hotel licencee Alex Nicholls.
The iconic art-deco pub was forced to close with little warning on March 23, as every Australian hotel and club was ordered to shut to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. They barely had enough notice to mark last drinks.
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When the hotel opens its doors today, they expect a crowd.
"I think it's going to be a busy night - I'm not too sure what to expect," he said.
"I think there's going to be a lot of people devastated if they can't come in if we're over capacity!"
The Tamworth is even considering bringing back its famous Tuesday night trivia in a few weeks.
But drinkers aren't in for an ordinary night out.
New rules restrict pubs, clubs and restaurants to just 50 customers, or one for every four square metres of floorspace, whichever is smaller.
If an establishment has multiple bars that 50 cap is applied to each one; the Tamworth, for instance, will be able to accept 110 punters.
But Business Chamber President Jye Segboer said the rules won't stop Tamworth residents enjoying a busy Monday night on the town.
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"As a nation we've been very patient and people have followed directions like they were supposed to. Let's hope that continues; obviously some venues won't look the same like they used to in the past, and there will be different levels of service and different requirements," he said.
"I hope people follow directions and guidelines at those venues to ensure that we don't take a step back and have to close doors again."
He said the city's business community is "keen" that things are opening up again, but Tamworth will likely see some closures after weeks of lockdown among businesses doing it tough.
"Let's hope that locally people shop locally, they support locally and we can keep jobs local as well."
Pubs and clubs have been theoretically permitted to reopen since May 15, but most chose to stay closed due to a cap of just 10 patrons that made doing business nonviable for most.
Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
