Monday, 1 June 2020
While consumers may be relishing the opportunity to revisit their favourite pubs, restaurants and gyms this week, spare a thought for the business owner who still has a long road ahead.
In our recent the South Australian Business Chamber-William Buck Survey of Business Expectations, 70 per cent of businesses said their revenue had declined by more than 30 per cent with 28 per cent of businesses recording a drop of more than 80 per cent.
That’s a lot of ground to make up for.
It is the kind of damage that will take years for a business to repair – not months.
Fortunately, we are in a good position here in South Australia.
Th Premier and the State Government should rightly be commended for their handling of the COVID-19 health crisis, which has not only flattened the curve sooner than many were expecting but also enabled the opportunity of a phased return back to business.
So good has the response been, the Government was able to fast track the start date of Stage 2 restrictions, which kicked off yesterday.
This undoubtedly will help more businesses to survive the crisis and get thousands of South Australians back into jobs.
Venue capacity has also increased this week, with 20 people allowed in each room of a business up to a maximum of 80 people.
These changes are warmly welcomed by our larger pubs and hospitality businesses, particularly in the State’s regions, where these businesses play a vital role in local communities.
However, some smaller businesses will still be still restricted to only 25 per cent capacity, with the one person per four square metre rule to remain in place.
The South Australian Business Chamber, as the independent and local peak industry body for all South Australian businesses, has been advocating to the State Government for the removal of the one person per four square metre rule to be replaced by a 50 per cent capacity limit, which is more workable for the majority of businesses.
The timing of this is crucial.
In the South Australian Business Chamber’s Survey of Business Expectations, 36 per cent of all businesses surveyed cast doubt on whether they could survive another three months of restrictions. When we looked at the accommodation, hospitality, and retail sectors this figure was even higher at 52 per cent.
That deadline is now fast approaching. Businesses are hanging on for dear life.
If our good health numbers continue, we encourage the Government to revisit the one person per four square metre rule and increase venue capacity limits, which will allow even more South Australian businesses to take advantage of Stage 2.
For many business owners getting back to “normal” is still a far, faraway concept.
So even though the doors may now be re-opened, we are not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot.
