Almost 3000 temporary liquor licences have been granted to help businesses adapt their service model and stay open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
As cafes, restaurants, hotels and pubs plan to reopen from 11:59pm Tuesday 27 October we have processed more than 300 temporary liquor licences to enable businesses to supply liquor with outdoor dining.
In addition, around 2500 temporary liquor licenses have been granted to allow businesses to supply liquor via takeaway and delivery when industry was first directed to close its doors.
Licensing Director Alex Fitzpatrick said it was a priority to support industry during this challenging and stressful time with the appropriate safeguards in place.
“We made a commitment to process these applications within three business days where venues supplied the necessary information, so industry could adjust and continue trading as seamlessly as possible.
“Our staff were extremely committed and long hours were put in to develop and streamline our processes so we can promptly respond to industry needs,“ said Ms Fitzpatrick.
“This approach is aligned with the Victorian Government’s roadmap to reopening and we consulted with local councils and the Municipal Association of Victoria to ensure the process is as efficient as possible, while still applying appropriate diligence to these applications,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.
The 2500 temporary liquor licences initially granted were due to expire in mid-September however we used our powers to extend the expiry date avoiding the need for licensees to re-apply.
Ms Fitzpatrick said this was another way the VCGLR was supporting industry.
“Businesses are coming to us for information on our website and we’ve seen a significant increase in the volume of traffic to our coronavirus (COVID-19) information page.
“We’ve had positive feedback from industry who have thanked us for keeping them up-do-date and informed.”
We will also run a ‘Reopen Responsibly’ campaign to remind businesses of their obligations, government restrictions and provide compliance guidance to support them.
