"Businesses who support our community in normal times need the support of our community in tough times."
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Lithgow Workies Club general manager Geoff Wheeler is encouraging residents to continue to support the club and local businesses through the NSW Dine and Discover vouchers.
The good news is that the vouchers have now been extended for use to August 31 and the Dine vouchers can be used for takeaway as well as eat in.
The vouchers represent $100 for each of us to put straight into the cash register of a local business through very little effort on our part.
Mr Wheeler said it was a critical time for the community to get behind local businesses following the recent surge of COVID cases in Sydney.
- READ MORE: NSW COVID cases at 112 today, July 12
"The latest shut down in Sydney has had an impact on our trading here negatively. Our current trading from June 26 has been substantially impacted, we're probably 50 per cent down in income," he said.
Despite the decrease in trade across the board Mr Wheeler said the club was once again adapting to government requirements.
"We understand that people's safety is more important than anything else. One thing we are very used to now is adapting to whatever the requirements of the government are, we hope other people continue to do that as well," he said.
He said the government vouchers had been helpful in stimulating trade within the club and benefiting the business but they had started to drop off.
"It's been a great initiative but they're dropping off a little and so is patronage because of what's happening in Sydney," he said.
"We've suffered a little bit with the motel because people can't stay anywhere to the east of us but we are open and intend to stay open."
Mr Wheeler said the Workies were operating in a COVID-safe way and have been for over 12 months.
"At the start of last year things were slow for a period of time but as we progressed and people got used to all the conditions, our trade picked up.
"Obviously now things are tough and our financial situation's been hit to a degree because of limited numbers attending but we are open for business in a very COVID-safe way," he said.
Mr Wheeler said the club now requires all patrons to wear a mask and may remove them when eating or drinking.
Patrons and staff are subject to the one person per four square-metre rule and there is to be no standing while drinking.
All live entertainment has been cancelled for the next few weeks but the club continues to operate with its main trading floor including bingo, bars, cafe, bistro and the Esk Bar & Grill.
"We initiated some more restrictions complying with the latest government orders as of July 12 so everyone that comes in will have to use the QR code with a phone or if they don't have a phone they can use the system we have here," Mr Wheeler said.
He encouraged patrons to also come and try the cafe which has been revamped along with new furniture in the main bar area.
"The cafe was a hangover from COVID last year we had it scheduled for May 2020 and we had to put it off," he said.
"We had it budgeted for last year and we were very diligent in how we used our money."
"We're open and it's much more operationally effective from a staff point of view and a lot more customer focused."
"It's only been open a few days and unfortunately we aren't getting the numbers we normally would but most people are being positive about it," he said.
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