Attention Melbourne Events managers: This great city is open again for (covid-safe) business! Outdoor events are back in Victoria and didn’t we miss them in 2020?
Melbourne, and the rest of Victoria for that matter, are experiencing a lag in the easing of Covid restrictions compared to all other states in Australia. However there was some well overdue good news on October 24th when the Victorian government announced tentative guidelines that allow for events to come back for summer. A collective wave of positivity was felt throughout the frustrated Melbourne Events Industry and beanbaghire by ambient lounge is here to help you get your event groove back.
Metropolitan Melbourne is now on the ‘3rd Step’ of the coronavirus roadmap for reopening. There are 5 steps in this roadmap — the last one being ‘COVID Normal,’ where all businesses and venues are fully open with a COVIDSafe Plan and without any restrictions on the number of people allowed at any venue.
Crucially, under the ‘Third Step’ Melbourne is officially moving from “stay home at all costs” to a “stay safe mantra.” This means that there will be no more restrictions on the reasons to leave home and fewer restrictions on public gatherings & events.
Outdoor entertainment events are finally given a semi-green light – from being totally closed to ‘Heavily Restricted & regulated.’ This entails Melbourne community venues being able to operate but at a limited capacity. Unfortunately, Melbourne indoor events remain banned but could be allowed to open in December. This is pending Melbourne rolling covid 14-day average being low enough to move into the next step phase, the ‘Last Step.’ Barring a third wave, we can certainly expect metropolitan Melbourne to be fully open under new normal rules post Christmas – and in the peak event season of January.
So what’s permitted in terms of events right now? Here’s a summary of specific event guidelines – primarily seated outdoor spaces with fixed or allocated seated spaces/zones:
- Outdoors spaces can have 10 people per group/cluster
- Groups must be 1.5 metres apart from each other and properly seated
- If it’s fixed seating, patron cap would be at 50 people or 25% of the venue’s seat capacity, (whichever is lower)
- If it’s not fixed seating but with allocated seated spaces/zones, density quotient and maximum of 50 persons only within the venue
COVID-Safe Guidelines for Melbourne Outdoor Entertainment Venues
So what are the new rules? It’s vital for Melbourne event managers to comply with government guidelines for their kinds of business. This could apply to you and your staff.
Here are the non-negotiable COVID-safe principles for ann business in Melbourne:
- Ensure physical distancing (1.5 metres)
- Wear a face mask at all times
- Practice good hygiene
- Keep good records and act quickly if staff become unwell
- Avoid interactions in close spaces
- Create workforce bubbles
As of the moment, there have been no specific rules and/or instructions as to the types of events that are allowed (e.g. concerts, company events, etc) and how many people will they be able to accommodate. Surely, there will be more guidelines to be released in the coming days but knowing these guidelines can serve as the groundwork on how you’ll be able to move forward with your event planning for Melbourne.
Bean Bag Hire COVID-19 Safety Measures for Melbourne
All this upheaval can be confusing. You can get ahead of the Melbourne events using lightweight, versatile and stylish designer bean bags and working with our planning team. Designer bean bags are the perfect furniture for Covid-safe outdoor events
At beanbaghire.com.au, you can feel confident that we prioritize your guests’ safety at any Victorian event. Our team has a covid-compliance surface disinfection system in place for all bean bags for hire – before and after use. We charge a very minimal fee ($5) for thorough disinfection of each sofa for complete peace of mind.
Need a Covid-safe design? … For large festivals or government-run public events we also help map a spacial layout of your venue with our product. You can visualize how to position your bean bags with clear markings for socially-distanced space in between guests.
Keen to know more? Check out our range of weatherproof designer bean bags for hire. For other inquiries please live chat or reach out to our expert team by calling 1300 707 121.
*Information gathered from the following sites:
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/industry-restrictions-roadmap-metro-melbourne
