Back to business for restaurants, cinemas, theatres, casinos and others

Following new amendments, employers who operate restaurants, cinemas, theatres, casinos, museums, galleries, libraries, archives and conference centres as well as personal care services (e.g. hairdressers and tattoo parlours) may open again. Certain sporting (contact and non-contact) activities are also permitted to resume.

By Dhevarsha Ramjettan, Kirsten Eiser, Partner and Shane Johnson

29 Jun 2020

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Importantly, specific health and safety protocols and social distancing measures must be strictly followed to minimise Covid-19 exposure of employees and customers. Protocols were published for personal care services last week. Protocols for the other employers listed above are still yet to be published. Until such time as these are published, these employers should not reopen their businesses.

The amendments introduce some broad restrictions on certain employers in terms of how they can operate their businesses. In summary:

Cinemas can operate with 50 persons (or less) and tickets must be sold through a "booking system". At this stage it is unclear as to whether this system must be an online system.
Theatres can operate with 50 persons (or less). Performers and crew are limited to a maximum of 15 persons (including live streaming or recording for distribution on digital platforms, i.e. where there is no live audience in attendance at a venue).
Casinos must restrict the number of persons allowed in the casino to not more than 50% of the available floor space. Patrons are also required to maintain a social distance of at least 1.5 metres from each other.
Conference centres can hold conferences for business purposes only with up to 50 persons in attendance (excluding attendance/participation through online platforms).

The amendments provide that gyms and fitness centres remain closed. The following places also remain closed to the public: