Australia gets back to business: Cafes and restaurants open their doors to their first customers under strict 10-person rule as people queue up for entry and flock to beaches for some exercise
- Australians have had a taste of freedom with coronavirus restrictions easing
- NSW pubs and cafes will open their doors to 10 patrons at a time from Friday
- Bar areas and gaming facilities will remain shut for the foreseeable future
- Some bigger venues will not reopen because of the 10 patron policy
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Hundreds of Australians have flocked to beaches and cafes after getting a taste of freedom as coronavirus lockdown restrictions are eased.
Businesses across Australia opened their doors for the first time on Friday after being closed for dining service for nearly eight weeks.
Exercise groups and churches were also allowed to operate again under the first stage of the government three-step plan to kick-start the economy and return daily life back to normal.
Cafes, restaurants and bars have only been allowed to offer takeaway service under the restrictions which were introduced on March 23 to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Now that the curve of infection rates has flattened in Australia, the federal government gave the green light for states to begin easing restrictions within their own timeline.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned that tougher restrictions could return if the infection rate spikes again.
New South Wales was the first state to allow indoor dining with a limit of 10 customers permitted inside the venue at any one time.
Other states are expected to follow in the coming weeks. South Australia is currently allowing cafes and restaurants to operate outdoor dining for up to 10 people.
Large groups braved the cold to line up to get a seat at a cafe in Bondi early on Friday morning.
Dozens of punters were rugged up in their winter warmers as they waited to be seated inside the trendy cafe.
Patience: Customers were all rugged up as they waited in line for a cafe in Bondi on Friday
Punters in Bondi lined up in the cold to get a seat at cafes this morning as restrictions were lifted
Customers were seen sitting apart as they sipped on their coffee and awaited their breakfast
Freedom: Young women are seen going for an early morning splash after lockdown restrictions were eased
However, business owners have been slow to embrace 'Freedom Friday' with many yet to return to internal dining, saying it's not yet worth their while.
The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions to allow up to 10 people to dine in after months of 'takeaway only', was expected to be a big hit with businesses and patrons.
But many popular cafes throughout Sydney's east continued to trade on Friday morning as they have since the pandemic started.
Similarly, a large number of punters seemed keen to avoid sitting in one place for too long, still wary of the threat of coronavirus.
Ljubo Milicevic, manger of north Bondi cafe Porch and Parlour, said only being able to have 10 people sit down for a meal is not worth it for their bottom line.
'As far as us being a smaller cafe, our capacity isn't great so it doesn't really benefit us to only having 10 people at any one time, in or outside the venue,' Mr Milicevic said.
Women are seen exercising together as part of a group fitness class in Sydney
Group training was back in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney. A woman is seen stretching as she chats to a trainer
'We're lucky, we can operate as a takeaway venture, whereas for wine bars and restaurants it's all about the experience of sitting in.
'All our friends at business up the road are fully booked out tonight, which is good for them and good for us, because we've got somewhere to go.
'It's nice that things seem to be getting back to more of a normality, I think life for everyone is going to be more peaceful now - with less fear in the air.'
A few suburbs over, long-time Bronte locals Jack and Geoff were happy to be able to once again sit at their regular cafe.
The pair often sit down for a chat in the morning and afternoon, and admitted they had missed each other's companionship over the past few months
Bit cold: A group of swimmers brave the cold for an early morning dip at Bondi Beach on Friday
Keep left: Cyclists are pictured taking full advantage with a large number of riders taking up a full lane along Maroubra Rd in the early hours of Friday morning
'We've been able to have a coffee, but the location has not been the same and the conversation has been a lot more difficult,' Geoff said.
'I've got no concerns about the virus, I'm just not worried about it any more. '
Leading Sydney chef Bret Cameron, who runs Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, said they had decided to wait until next week to allow patrons to dine-in.
He admitted that despite diversifying his business to offer takeaway or cook at home meals, the past few months had been incredible difficult - especially as the 'goal posts continue to move'.
Churches were also allowed to be reopen on Friday with cleaners seen disinfecting handrails outside
Thank the lord: Churches were reopened on Friday after being closed for weeks (pictured: Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral)
'For us, we're already doing takeaways, so putting seats outside isn't adding any kind of pressure, but we're not doing table service,' Mr Cameron said.
'From next week we'll be opening for groups of 10, but we just weren't ready today. I want to do it right and the goal posts are always moving, so we'll take out time over the weekend and bring back internal dining from Monday.
'It's been tough, it's been really tough. We've got our same core group of staff as we have had for the past few months and we'll begin to bring some back who have been on jobkeeper.'
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said he understands larger venues will struggle but the government was working hard to ensure businesses are reopened in a safe manner.
Sydney's playgrounds re-opened on Friday as well, just in time for Gabrielle's first birthday (pictured with her dad Luc)
Gabrielle and Luc enjoy the morning playing at a park in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney
Two men observe social distancing protocols whilst having a conversation at Bill and Tony's cafe in Sydney's east
'This is an important first step, and we want it to be a success, so that as venues transition back from closure they do so safely both for their staff and their customers.'
The decision is a boost for regional towns where the pub is the only place locals can eat out.
But bigger pubs in Sydney and other cities may feel that opening up for ten customers is not worth the trouble financially.
Hospitality giant Merivale confirmed it would stick to operating on a takeaway-only policy until restrictions were eased further.
Ms Berejiklian urged Australians to continue to follow social distancing measures to ensure there was not another spike.
'I don't ever want to be in a situation where NSW has to go backwards on something we've allowed people to do. If everybody sticks to the rules and moves forward together, we won't have to go backwards in terms of the restrictions.'
A man sits outside a cafe in Sydney as other punters walk past on Friday
Coffee time: Two men take a seat outside a cafe as they enjoy a hot drink on Friday morning
'But we do need to take these smaller steps forward. We can't just really go any further at this stage because there's a lot of activity already happening at the moment.'
Meanwhile in Queensland, thirsty customers will be able to go to pubs, clubs and RSLs for a drink as long as they also buy a meal from Saturday.
In Brisbane, venues can only have ten customers at one time, but in other regions 20 people are allowed.
In the Northern Territory and ACT, pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes are open from Friday, but customers must observe social distancing.
Despite the cold, many people were keen to sit outside and enjoy their morning
Women hug while catching up for a coffee at Bondi Beach on Friday
They can only stay for a maximum of two hours and must order food.
In South Australia, pubs are staying closed for the time-being, with cafes and restaurants open - but not serving alcohol, even if you buy a meal.
Customers, a maximum of ten, must sit outdoors.
Groups of up to 20 people will be allowed back into venues from June 8, when the second stage of COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Restrictions are also easing in Western Australia from Monday, with pubs, clubs and even Perth's casino serving drinks with meals.
A maximum of 20 customers will be allowed at one time.
A long line is seen at Pilgrims cafe in Coogee as residents wait to be seated inside
Gabrielle was all smiles as she played on the equipment on Friday morning with her dad watching on
Little Gabrielle was thrilled to be back at the playground, she made the most of the empty park
While other states have started to relax the rules, cafes and restaurants in Victoria will remain restricted to takeaway.
This is expected to be the case until at least the start of June.
Premier Daniel Andrews indicated he was considering making changes next month, but that he didn't believe the ten-customer limit would be beneficial.
'I think the feedback from many, many businesses is that at just ten patrons, it's really hard to be viable.
'If we wait these three weeks, when we move to go beyond just takeaway for cafes … we might not have to stick with a number of ten, we might be able to go higher than that.
