From Friday 5 June, venues operating under an approved Industry COVID Safe Plan will be allowed up to 20 patrons in multiple defined areas. The Hotels & Clubs Industry COVID Safe Plan (‘Plan’) is now approved: CLICK HERE
Note: the Plan is written to cover all of Queensland’s Hotels and Clubs, big and small, far and wide. You do not need to print out the Plan or submit any documents to any authorities.
Note: If continuing trading with only 20 patrons maximum in the whole venue, as per Stage 1 (10) / Stage 2 (20) you continue to display the Queensland Government COVID Safe Checklist: DOWNLOAD THE QLD GOVERNMENT COVID SAFE CHECKLIST
HOW TO TRADE WITH MORE THAN 20 PATRONS
The QHA has developed the following checklists and information to assist you implement the requirements of the Industry COVID Safe Plan:
Explain to patrons that this Stage 2 trading environment is based on seated, eating or drinking, collection of patron contact details, and maintaining the 1 person per 4sqm rule while ensuring 1.5m social distancing from related parties.
1. DEFINE YOUR AREAS
A maximum of 20 patrons can be seated in each defined area. An area can be defined by bollards, roped off, planter boxes and/or partitions. These can be areas within one space, but at all times the 1 person per 4sqm rule must apply, as well as ensuring 1.5m social distancing from related parties. Patrons must not be able to cross between these defined areas.
Of course, there will be pathway and flow areas for patron entry/exit, access to toilets and DOSA’s, TAB and KENO terminals, ATM’s and other facilities, which you will need to manage via social distancing and cleaning regimes.
CLICK HERE FOR CAPACITY STATEMENT
2. DISPLAY STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
You MUST display the Statement of Compliance: CLICK HERE FOR STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The Statement of Compliance replaces the former Stage 1 Queensland Government CovidSafe Checklist, for those venues that have already commenced trading.
3. USE QHA CHECKLISTS TO ASSIST YOU IMPLEMENT THE INDUSTRY COVID SAFE PLAN
Venues will need to implement the elements of the Plan as applicable to their businesses. Use the QHA checklists to cross-check against your operation: CLICK HERE FOR CHECKLISTS
Note: Not all items may be applicable depending on your operational and business circumstances.
4. COLLECT ALL PATRON'S CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact information must be kept for customers, workers and any contractors for a period of at least 56 days. This must include name, address and mobile phone number.
5. ALL STAFF MUST COMPLETE TRAINING
Within 2 weeks of your venue opening, all staff must complete COVID Safe mandatory training. This training is free and delivered online through TAFE Queensland. Register for the training HERE.
Note: Staff rostering should allocate designated areas for staff to work in, which can include working across multiple defined areas.
6. TAB OPERATIONS – complete TAB checklist
TAB and Keno will be operational in hotels in Queensland from tomorrow, Friday 5 June.
Every venue must complete the TAB checklist below appropriately and satisfactorily prior to TAB re-engaging wagering services once government permission for wagering in licensed venues has been granted. The checklist needs to be carefully completed to ensure all precautions are taken as they relate to venue details and anticipated re-open dates, COVID-19, hygiene and cleaning, compliance, staff training, equipment, etc.
Also importantly, any venues that have changed ownership or have moved TAB equipment need to notify TAB of this prior to wagering trade being enabled. Likewise, if a venue intends adjusting their TAB float from its last trading day.
Access the TAB Checklist HERE QLD LV checklist
The TAB field team are now back at work and available to assist.
7. KENO OPERATIONS - COMPLETE KENO CHECKLIST
TAB and Keno will be operational in hotels in Queensland from tomorrow, Friday 5 June. Every venue must complete the info to come. KENO CHECKLIST
8. UPDATE YOUR WH&S PLAN
Ensure Update your WHS plan to include COVID-19 planning and management.
CLICK HERE for WH&S safety plan for COVID-19, with QHA populated examples
IN SUMMARY
- Define your areas up to a maximum of 20 patrons – must comply with 1 person per 4sqm rule while ensuring 1.5m social distancing: CAPACITY STATEMENT
- Use the QHA CHECKLISTS to implement the elements of the Hotels & Clubs Industry COVID Safe Plan: You do not need to have a copy of the whole plan or submit any documents to any authorities
- You MUST display the Statement of Compliance: STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
- Contact information must be kept for customers, workers and any contractors for a period of at least 56 days. This must include name, address and mobile phone number. CONTRACT TRACING TEMPLATE
- Within 2 weeks of opening, all staff must complete COVID Safe mandatory training. This training is free and delivered online through TAFE Queensland. Register for the training REGISTER HERE.
- Complete TAB checklist if applicable : TAB QLD LV checklist
- Complete KENO checklist if applicable KENO CHECKLIST
- Update your WHS plan - to include COVID-19 planning and management. WH&S PLAN WITH EXAMPLES
LIST OF FAQ’s
Q: Can I seat patrons at the bar for dining-in or seated drinks? Can patrons order at the bar?
Food and/or drinks can be consumed by patrons seated at a table or at a bar.
Queensland Health advises that if seated at a bar, there must be 1.5 metres to the next patron and patrons must not be seated next to serving areas or payment areas.
Licensees may simply find it easier to seat patrons away from the bar if the venue allows.
If your venue only has payment available at the bar, e.g. no wireless EFTPOS, then implement social distancing controls.
Patrons must not congregate at the bar or stand at the bar to place an order or collect food or drink.
Q: Do I need to operate ID scanning?
We are currently considering and will provide direction as soon as we can.
Q: Is a solo entertainer allowed to perform at my venue, with the dancefloor closed? Do they count towards my 20-patron limit?
There is no prohibition on solo entertainer performances. They are not included in your patron count.
Q: What happened to the increased patron numbers for outback Queensland, is this no longer an option?
Under stage 2 there is no longer a separate provision for outback Queensland. This means that all licensed venues in Queensland, regardless of where they are located, are limited to up to 20 patrons for dining-in or seated drinks at any one time. If outback licensees want to increase services for up to 20 patrons in each defined area, they can do this by following an approved COVID Safe Plan.
Q: Can I offer tastings at my venue?
Yes, if your licence permits this and you meet usual rules – 1 person per 4sqm; 20 people max or per defined area if your COVID Safe Plan is in place.
You’ll also need to control the potential risks for this activity e.g. no water jugs shared by different parties and keeping tour groups physically distanced. The Queensland Wine Industry Association COVID Safe Plan (when approved) will provide further guidance on what you need to do.
Q: Do I now need to collect the details for all guests and staff that visit my venue, rather than one person per table?
Yes. The Chief Health Officer direction requires a person who owns, controls or operates a licensed venue to collect and keep contact information about all guests and staff for contact tracing purposes, including name, address and mobile phone number for a period of at least 56 days.
If requested, this information must be provided to public health officers. The information should be securely stored, not used for any other purpose and deleted after 56 days.
Operating under an approved COVID Safe Plan
Q: Can I simultaneously have the maximum number of patrons in both my indoor and outdoor areas (e.g. 20 in each)? I have three separate areas in my venue can I have 20 patrons in each.
Venues can offer multiple seated areas for dining or drinking. Each area:
- must be defined in a way that effectively restricts patrons from moving across defined areas
- hold a maximum of 20 persons, subject to having 4sqm per person available
- be separated from other defined areas by a minimum of 1.5m
- offer seated service
Q: Does each defined area require its own separate amenities?
No, defined areas can share amenities, such as toilets, but controls (hygiene, cleaning, social distancing and managing congestion points) are critical.
Q: Does each defined area require dedicated staff?
No. Staff are not limited to the one defined area and can work across defined areas as long as a record is kept of which areas are served by staff members to ensure contact tracing can be effective. Ideally you should minimise the number of staff who work across multiple defined areas but we recognise this is problematic particularly in smaller businesses.
More Q&As can be found on the Queensland Health website.
