Drinkers rushed to bottle shops around Australia on Sunday fearing a coronavirus lockdown, before the Prime Minister confirmed liquor stores would stay open.
Shoppers packed Dan Murphy’s stores across the country after officials in Victoria and NSW announced the pending shutdown of non-essential services.
Twitter was awash with pictures of the panic queues both at the drive-thrus and in stores.
‘Chaos at Dan Murphy’s on the northern beaches, goodbye toilet roll hello booze,’ said one person on Twitter.
One local bottle shop owner in Sydney said he had done three weeks worth of trading in two hours on Sunday.
Staff at a small bottle-o in Sydney’s east told Daily Mail Australia Sunday’s sales were like Christmas.
‘It’s been crazy. We’ve done about $50,000 for the day. With the beaches closing and the uncertainly [surrounding lockdown], the locals have come in numbers we haven’t seen since last Christmas Eve,’ they said.
A woman leaves a Dan Murphy’s store in Kingsford in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with more than a dozen bottles of wine in her trolley
Sweet relief for drinkers on Sunday night as the Prime Minister said liquor stores stay open
A customer leaves a liquor store in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with a crate of Peroni beer under his arm
As the Australian government announced widespread restrictions on the hospitality industry on Sunday, the woman unloaded her haul into a car
But the Prime Minister brought sweet relief late on Sunday when he confirmed liquor stores would not be closed.
Only the licensed premises and gathering areas of pubs, clubs and hotels will shut as of noon on Monday.
‘There will be a lot of relieved people sleeping a lot better tonight knowing that lockdown with their loved ones will not need to be endured completely sober. Thankyou,’ a punter wrote on Dan Murphy’s Facebook page.
These ladies were happy with their haul as they stocked up on alcohol in Sydney on Sunday
Shoppers packed liquor stores (pictured in Sydney’s eastern suburbs) in Australia in anticipation of the government closing bottle shops to stem the spread of the coronavirus
Cellar building: A man wheels a trolley stacked with crates of Victoria Bitter beer as he makes his way out of a store
Twitter came alive with crowds stocking up at liquor stores across Australia on Sunday ahead of the feared lockdown. This was the scene at Sydney’s Northern Beaches
One happy customer: A man holds on to his newly-acquired purchases as he leaves a bottle shop in Sydney
Orderly queues of polite customers in Sydney’s east stocked up on Sunday ahead of lockdown
Thousands of anxious Australians had earlier questioned whether bottle shops would stay open in Melbourne and Sydney.
‘Urgent clarification required: are bottle shops considered an essential service?,’ tweeted one man.
‘Bottle shops are essential for keeping the peace,’ added another.
Not only will bottle shops stay open, but home delivery alcohol services such as Jimmy Brings will operate as usual.
But all gatherings in enclosed spaces in licensed clubs, pubs, bars, hotels and casinos must cease as of noon.
Hotels and pubs will not have to close their accommodation areas, only their licensed areas and gathering areas, the Prime Minister said.
Bottle shops that are off-license and not used for gatherings will remain open.
Restaurants and cafes must close their indoor areas but can still sell takeaway and delivery food.
The Prime Minister reminded people not to panic buy or break the social distancing rules in shops.
‘I would simply ask Australians to be calm and exercise some sensible judgement,’ he said.
Shoppers stocked up fearing a lockdown of liquor stores, but they will remain open
Pictured: A customer in Sydney’s eastern suburbs clutches a crate of Coopers Pale Ale on Sunday. Bottle shops will remain open, with the prime minister considering them to be like ‘any other retail premises’
Two customers stock up on supplies on Sunday prior to Mr Morrison’s historic announcement closing pubs, restaurants and cafes
WHAT WILL CLOSE AND WHAT WILL STAY OPEN?
WHAT WILL STAY OPEN:
Supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and convenience stores.
Home delivery, freight and logistics services
Schools (but ACT, NSW and Victoria schools will close early for Easter)
Accommodation areas of pubs and hotels
Restaurants and cafes for takeaway and delivery food (but closed for dining)
Places of worship for funerals (but must observe the four-square-meter rule)
Off-license bottle shops
NRL season
Everything except for primary gathering places in entertainment venues
WHAT WILL CLOSE:
Restaurants and cafes for seated dining (takeaway is OK)
Licensed clubs, bars, hotels and pubs – the licensed and gathering areas
Entertainment venues and cinemas, casinos and nightclubs.
Indoor sporting venues
Places of worship (except for funerals)
AFL season until May 31
Pubs will close to drinkers but liquor stores will still be open (Pictured: Club 77)