Far west hospitality venues say they are running on bare minimum staffing numbers as COVID impacts their operations.
Key points:
- A number of local venues are considering, or have reduced, their opening hours
- A club manager says 16 staff members are off with COVID and those still working do up to 14 hour days
- Another club manager says they've spent about $100,000 on testing, sick leave, and other measures since October
Broken Hill's Musician's Club, Social Democratic Club, Alfresco's, and the Silverton Hotel are some of the venues that have considered or reduced opening hours.
Demo Club general manager Karren Howe said they had been fairly lucky with COVID over the past two years with about three cases recorded across their team.
But she said this week had hit them hard with 16 staff members off with COVID and several on leave.
“We really are running on bare minimum,” she said.
She said all of her staff were testing every day to make sure they were COVID negative before arriving at work.
'Two staff off can halve your team'
Michael Boland is the president of the Broken Hill Liquor Accord and said he had never seen the staffing situation this bad.
He is also the general manager of the Musician's Club and said around 20 staff were currently absent between his venue and the Demo.
“When you're looking at some of the smaller hospitality venues they're only operating on a staff of four to eight people, where the larger clubs operate between 40 and 50 staff,” he said.
A number of local venues had to reduce operating hours or capacity as COVID impacts staffing numbers. (Unsplash: Tim Mossholder)
Mr Boland said due to the impacts of the staff shortage their usual Mother's Day lunch and dinner sittings were at capacity, with numbers down by about 100 and bookings closed.
He added that budgets had been thrown out the window during the pandemic.
“That's a massive amount of money off the bottom line that wasn't budgeted for.”
'Very important' to operate for Mother's Day
Ms Howe said her club was closing Sunday night, Monday, and Tuesday because they would not have everyone back and working until Wednesday morning.
She said they were doing the best to remain open until after lunchtime on Mother's Day.
“All team members that are still feeling well are on deck.”
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Will COVID-19 matter in federal election 2022?
News Related-
Police believe second diver involved in cocaine smuggling operation in Newcastle
-
A-League Men finals record on the line as Melbourne City players set sights on championship
-
Live updates: Paul Gallen vs Kris Terzievski, Nikita Tszyu, Harry Garside, boxing in Newcastle
-
Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh killed covering an Israeli raid in occupied West Bank
-
Federal Labor and Liberal parties pledge additional funding for CIT accommodation, Canberra's Home of Football
-
Melbourne parents sue Parade College after alleged bullying stoush leads to son's expulsion
-
COVID in WA: AMA WA president Mark Duncan-Smith says State's health system ‘in danger of being overrun'
-
Former Socceroo Tony Vidmar takes reins for Olyroos’ Paris 2024 qualification
-
Coronial inquiry hears volunteer firefighter likely killed instantly when tree hit truck during bushfires
-
Australian Open golfing champion Jack Newton farewelled in Newcastle after death at 72
-
Commission of Inquiry hears teacher was given new position after being reported for sexually abusing student
-
‘Landmark’ laws to ban Nazi symbol in Victoria
-
Early education in federal electorate of Durack gets a poor report in Mitchell Institute study
-
The Loop: Strap in for the third debate, Eurovision officially begins, and 'WAGatha Christie' in court
OTHER NEWS
Every year, a small group of grandparents gather together on the northern side of Sydney Harbour for a camp that honours the grandparenting role in family life. Unlike typical celebrations ... Read more »
Could we see the return of the mask in WA? Premier Mark McGowan has refused to rule out bringing back mandatory mask-wearing after today’s massive surge in COVID cases, according ... Read more »
The New Zealand government says the country will reopen its borders to tourists from all countries by July, allow back cruise ships and make it easier for skilled workers to ... Read more »
Barnaby Joyce denies the Nationals’ stance on climate change is damaging inner city Liberals. Photo: AAP Live Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has denied the Nationals’ stance on climate change ... Read more »
Tai Tuivasa is so close to a shot at the UFC's heavyweight title he can almost taste it and he's eyeing a showdown with France's Ciryl Gane in Paris to ... Read more »
Police have dropped charges against a former director of NDIS provider Integrity Care for threatening a key witness in an investigation into the death of Adelaide woman Ann Marie Smith. ... Read more »
Queensland state schools were left scrambling to start online NAPLAN tests on the first day yesterday due to a government-wide internet outage that affected schools. Key points: Some schools had ... Read more »
Michael Gunner was 20 minutes into his final press conference as Chief Minister on Tuesday when a journalist's question reframed the intrigue surrounding his shock decision to suddenly quit. “Are ... Read more »
Police have charged a 15-year-old girl with assault following an alleged attack at a high school on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. Police were called to the school just after midday ... Read more »
The “36 questions of love” have taken the dating world by storm. First published in 1997 as part of scientific research into relationships, the 36 questions of love gained global popularity through ... Read more »
In another hit to cost of living pressures, Tasmanians' water bills will increase by 3.5 per cent from July this year, and each year for the next four years. Key ... Read more »
The NT Opposition Leader has used her budget reply speech to question the timing of Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s resignation, and attack the financial credentials of the politician acting in ... Read more »
Tarek Zahed, who was shot alongside his brother Omar in a hail of bullets at a Western Sydney gym last night, is one of the country's highest-ranking bikies. Omar, 39, is dead but older ... Read more »
Regional hospital emergency departments are under intense strain and health officials are urging people to reserve calls to triple-0 or visits to hospitals for emergencies. Key points: Emergency departments are ... Read more »
Shanghai has reaffirmed China's strict “zero-COVID” approach to pandemic control, a day after the head of the World Health Organisation said that was not sustainable and urged China to change ... Read more »
A Western Australian council has asked police to shut down an event this weekend at an unauthorised music retreat near Margaret River, as part of an ongoing stoush over loud ... Read more »
The death of a scuba diver during a suspected cocaine operation in Newcastle exposes gaps in port security due to workforce cuts to Australia's frontline border law enforcement agency, the local federal MP ... Read more »
Actor Craig McLachlan has broken down during his defamation trial, revealing he was admitted to a mental health facility after news outlets published allegations he sexually assaulted his colleagues. McLachlan ... Read more »
As governments across the country seek to capitalise on the growing demand for critical minerals and rare earths, experts warn that, without proper investment, Australia could miss out on a ... Read more »
Electronic Arts (EA) is parting ways with world soccer governing body FIFA after a near three-decade partnership, and pulling the plug on one of the world's most successful video-game franchises, which has ... Read more »
South Australia's electricity distributor is “exasperated” by the number of farmers hitting powerlines and electricity poles while sowing crops, with 13 incidents recorded this season already. Key points: There have ... Read more »
Customers have been asked to discontinue use of Nivea and Cancer Council products with specific batch numbers. Live The national consumer watchdog has issued a recall for several batches of ... Read more »
A former elite soldier has rejected accusations in court that he and war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith have “concocted a false story” to cover up the death of a detained Afghan ... Read more »
Western Australia has recorded more than 17,000 new cases of Covid-19 overnight – the highest daily increase in the nation. There were 17,033 new infections overnight, taking the total number ... Read more »
Craig McLachlan said he was admitted into a mental health facility following media reports. Photo: AAP Live Actor Craig McLachlan has said he was profoundly devastated by media reports that ... Read more »
Victorian sex workers and industry advocacy groups say the state's new reforms for the industry are “a win”, but are not a panacea for workers, especially those in regional areas. Key ... Read more »
New South Wales' top police officer says it is her “greatest fear” an innocent person will be killed in Sydney's escalating gang wars. Comanchero kingpin Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar sustained multiple ... Read more »
A group of 17 international delegates has arrived in regional WA for Australia's first premium food and drink trade mission since the pandemic closed borders in March 2020. Key points: Australia has ... Read more »
Scott Morrison has brushed off polling showing Josh Frydenberg is on course to lose his seat of Kooyong. Photo: AAP Live Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is in serious danger of losing ... Read more »
South Australia has recorded a surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations, and eight people who tested positive have died. Those who died include a man in his sixties, two men ... Read more »
A court has heard “pride and ego” drove an Adelaide man to try to murder his three-year-old daughter and kill himself, rather than face divorce. Key points: Shaun Preston Mate tried ... Read more »
One of Western Australia's major forestry towns has lost one of its main forms of employment as a timber mill shuts its doors earlier than expected. Key points: Parkside closes ... Read more »
A magistrate reconsidered and reduced her sentence for a Mount Gambier man who drove more than 100km/hr over the speed limit while escaping police. Key points: The magistrate decided to ... Read more »
Dubbed “WAGatha Christie”, the scandal between British celebrities Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy exploded on social media back in 2019. Now the saga is continuing to unfold publicly, with a ... Read more »
Emergency operators described the shooting scene as ‘horrific’ 10 News First – Disclaimer Live Comanchero bikie boss Tarek Zahed was repeatedly warned he was a target before he and his ... Read more »
More than 90 per cent of coral reefs surveyed on the Great Barrier Reef suffered some form of bleaching this summer, according to a new report. The Great Barrier Reef ... Read more »
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is refusing to guarantee he will formally ask the independent wage umpire to lift the minimum wage by 5.1 per cent, in line with inflation. Key ... Read more »
Former AFL player Héritier Lumumba has defended his decision to release audio of conversations he says he had with people at Collingwood, including former coach Nathan Buckley, in 2014. Key points: Former AFL ... Read more »
WA’s daily COVID tally has exploded to a major new high of more than 17,000 cases, Mark McGowan has revealed. The Premier tweeted that 17,033 cases were detected overnight, taking ... Read more »
Western Australia has recorded 17,033 new cases of COVID-19, representing a 40 per cent jump on yesterday's figures. It brings the total number of active cases in the state to ... Read more »