15 May 2020

, Minister for Small Business, Hospitality and Events

Rules for restaurants and cafes opening on Monday

The health, safety and wellbeing of Tasmanians is our number one priority as we face the challenges presented to us by the coronavirus pandemic.

This is why we are taking a glide-path approach to easing restrictions and it’s really important we continue to follow the rules.

From Monday 18 May, restaurants and cafes will be able to open again, with restrictions, for seated table service for up to 10 patrons, with delivery and takeaway services able to continue.

For a single business with a large premises that may have, for example, multiple dining rooms (eg. upstairs and downstairs, or separate rooms on one level, or an indoor and separate out area), the following principles apply:

• Each premises/single business may have no more than two separate dining areas of 10 seated patrons.
• Each setting where dining occurs must not have a density of seated patrons greater than 1 per 4 square metres. To seat 10 patrons the area must be a minimum of 40 square metres. (1 person per 4 square metres average applying). If the dining area is smaller than 40 square metres, a lower number of patrons will only be allowed.
• Multiple timed settings are permitted as long as at any point in time the seated patrons rules apply.
• Food must be consumed by each patron. It is not alcohol service only.
• In this instance, these dining areas will ideally have separate entry/exits points. If they don’t, the venue must take steps to minimise opportunities for people to mix whilst waiting for a table (for example, there can be no waiting lobby and social distancing rules apply to any queuing). This could include staged arrivals for bookings.
• Contact details for the person making the booking must be kept if future contact tracing is needed.
• Each dining area must have separate wait staff.
• There is no requirement for separate kitchens or toilets per dining area. However, appropriate cleaning must be scheduled and undertaken.

For multi-business/separate premises on the one site:

• Where there are multiple discrete restaurant/cafes (separate businesses) on large sites – each with separate dining spaces, kitchens and toilets – operating largely independently – each can operate as a separate restaurant, with either one dining area of 10 or if there are separate dining areas within the one restaurant, no more than two separate dining areas of 10 people and all other rules applying. Each setting where dining occurs must not have a density of seated patrons greater than 1 per 4 square metres.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the very constructive role of the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) and local businesses in continuing to work with Government as we ease restrictions and deliver our plan to rebuild Tasmania.

This has been an incredibly tough time for the hospitality sector and I appreciate the active engagement of the THA on behalf of its members.

We understand that no one business is the same and there are a range of complexities in re-introducing these indoor restrictions and we encourage any venue operator seeking further clarification relating to their own operation to call the Business Hotline on 1800 440 026.

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