Food service providers, restaurants and cafes offering contactless deliveries are calling for the ability to remain open during all levels of Alert, even Level 4, as the country awaits a 5.30 pm decision by the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Members urgently surveyed yesterday by the Restaurant Association are calling on the government to make amendments to the trading restrictions on restaurant businesses in the event of a return to a level 4 alert.
The Government has indicated an announcement as to the status of Auckland, currently at Alert Level 3, and the rest of the country at Level 2, will be made late today with many speculating the current situation will be extended or even taken to Level 4.
At Alert Level 4 back in March, a blanket ban was placed on hospitality operations, meaning 98 per cent of Restaurant Association member businesses had no ability to generate revenue.
It is now urging the government to continue to allow the operation of contactless delivery should we return to level 4.
“Delivery options continue to be made available to other businesses such as online retail and supermarkets. Our industry has already proven it can operate a safe contactless service at level 3, so we see no reason why these couldn’t be extended to level 4,” says Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois.
An urgent survey of Restaurant Association members conducted yesterday ( August 13), indicates that just over 50 per cent would be in support of the Government making this change for hospitality at Alert Level 4, should we have to return and 14 percent would need more information before making a final call.
“We have seen unmitigated success with contactless food delivery, following the creation and introduction of Alert Level 3 operation guidelines,” says Bidois.
“These guidelines set out how food and beverage businesses can implement safe contactless delivery programmes. It is our view that should we return to Alert Level 4, the Government removes the current Alert Level 4 restriction on contactless food delivery and takes steps to ensure it can continue.”
“We also continue to call on government to deliver the additional fiscal relief we’ve been asking for since we came out of Alert Level 3 in May.
“Among our Membership alone we have had more than 50 businesses close, which is around 1000 jobs losses, and we are anticipating more closures as the end of the wage subsidy draws near, so we need the government to step up and offer a continuation of the wage subsidy which is desperately needed if this lock down period is to be extended.”
