Function, Event & Wedding Industries SA
MEDIA RELEASE September 9, 2021
Backflip on easing restrictions to licensed Wedding & Function venues soon to wipe out the peak season; Hundreds of staff and wedding suppliers lose their income; Brides and Grooms losing hope
Industry says Xmas Season events are next...
Professional wedding and function venues and their suppliers across the state are fielding a massive second wave of cancellations immediately after Tuesday's transition committee decision.
Despite an announcement for promised easing on the 31st August there was no easing for licensed managed venues on Tuesday. Industry owners say a clear message was communicated from licensed venues to the Premier's Department and Transition Committee on minor restriction easing, yet the committee chose to favour raising the cap on parties in unmonitored unlicensed halls for hire with makeshift air-conditioning over any easing in professionally managed licensed venues.
This decision will compromise the future of long-standing businesses, hundreds of employees and micro businesses, and has devastated brides and grooms and their families across the state with existing wedding plans from September to December.
The industry asked for minor concessions: That private functions in managed licensed venues currently with Mandatory QR Codes for Individual events (and therefore 100% traceable) be permitted to have;
- Vertical consumption 1 to 2 sqm to reflect Venue Spatial Capacity or 250 people (currently 150)
- Dancing to be allowed for the (pre-approved) private guest list to 50-person max
Queensland currently offer 1 to 2 square metres to the size of the venue and dancing.
"All we have been doing since the announcement is fielding cancelations because we are large venues under the same small cap and guests attending can't dance with their partner. Quite frankly, our brides are having a meltdown, again.'' said Jim Liapis, General Manager of Sunnybrae Estate Function Centre.
"Technically the relaxing of rules for private events is allowing a local pizza bar to serve food and alcohol at a community hall for an 18th Birthday and nominating a mate to be Covid Marshall. These will be events run by amateurs in areas of poor ventilation and airflow, dusting off the air-conditioners. At the same time punishing licensed managed venues with state-of-the-art facilities, their expert staff and huge supplier networks."
In a letter to the COVID-19 Transition Committee last week, Michael Sfera, General Manager of Sfera's Park Suites & Convention Centre, said businesses needed only 'minor changes' to restrictions.
"The low risk ask was simple and clear both in writing and reiterated verbally, to extend the Cap to reflect the size of the managed licensed venue and to allow a small amount of dancing to 50 ppl max. Many of us are actually only operating private functions to 20% capacity with the current Cap, we're asking for equity to reflect the size of spaces. People are already permitted to stand and drink next to each other in the events, the risk on some monitored dancing with your partner is surely negligible."
"This would have stopped a collapse of peak season weddings and function cancellations. Our functions are in well ventilated, spacious, managed licensed venues with Covid Marshals and QR codes for approved guest lists. I had one of my staff have a breakdown this morning over dealing with stressed and confused brides and their families, cancellations and postponements."'
"Confidence across the state was shot on Tuesday."
"There has been no community transmission for over 40 days and many casual staff are now wondering where their next shift is going to come from. If this matter is not resolved shortly, I fear the Xmas function market will collapse next."
Leigh Morgan from Lot 100 is equally as baffled;
"We were happy to hear that there was going to be easing of restrictions for weddings and private events. What was handed down on Tuesday was baffling and if anything, it caused more confusion with our clients with some of them postponing or cancelling all together."
"Our staff are reliant on these functions to go ahead as it deeply affects their pay week to week. We hope that we can review dancing and capacities to reflect space, without it we will lose this year's wedding and function season. We can appreciate that the transition committee has done an amazing job to keep SA safe, but we believe we can control the requested easing in restrictions safely."
Daniel Koronis of Entertainment Adelaide; ''We have 16 entertainers not earning a cent because there is no dancing. Did I just hear NSW has set a plan to allow dancing in October before us? Queensland, WA are open now with dancing. No one is confident to book anything in SA."
The industry says minor amendments would have helped restore confidence in the market and save over 1,000 casual jobs across the state, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of small to medium businesses across the Function, Event and Wedding industries and their supply chains.
The Hospitality Industry at large has now been under restrictions for 520 days and staff continue to deal with a stressed public over restrictions.
Media Assistance, Mike O'Reilly, 0414 882 505, Advisor on Media, Government & Community Relations
Contact Leigh Morgan, of Lot 100 0422748 647
Contact Jimmy Liapis, of Sunnybrae Estate Function Centre, 0401 329 437
Contact Michael Sfera, of Sfera's Park Suites & Convention Centre, 0403 051 110
Contact Amanda Piper, of Sugar & Spice Cakes 0416 272 900
Contact Daniel Koronis of entertainment Adelaide 0448 400 900
Contact Dawn Baroudi of I Do Cinema 0422 147 313
SOME EXAMPLES ONLY of Venues with over 500 sqm rooms currently capped at an inequitable 20-25% capacity with the 150 cap on Private Functions allowing vertical consumption;
Lot 100 Sunnybrae Estate
Sferas Park Suites & Convention Centre National Wine Centre
Adelaide Hills Function Centre Kooyonga Golf Club
Serafino McLaren Vale Festival Function Centre
The Lakes Function Centre Glen Ewin Estate
Stamford Grand Hotel Maximilian's Adelaide Hills
The Intercontinental Hotel Wayville showgrounds
The Arkaba Hotel
The Grand Ballroom
EOS
