New South Wales pubs are told they have a week to stop breaking COVID-19 rules or they’ll be closed

‘We’ll shut you down’: Pubs across New South Wales are told they have one week to clean up their act and stop breaking coronavirus rules or they’ll be closed on the spot

  •  New South Wales pubs have been given a week to adhere to COVID-19 measures
  •  They must complete a COVID-19 safety plan and limit patron numbers to 300
  •  Pubs that fail to comply will be fined $5000 and risk temporary closures
  •  Compliance checks will increase in south-west Sydney to fight growing cluster 

Pubs have been given a week to clean up their act and adhere to coronavirus rules or risk being shut down. 

New South Wales Customer Services Minister, Victor Dominello, has written to every operator to ensure they comply with the strict safety measures, The Daily Telegraph reported.  

Venues have been warned they need to fall in line with COVID-19 restrictions including customer limits and caps on group bookings by Monday or face closure.    

Pubs across New South Wales (Crossroads Hotel in Casula pictured) have been given a week to adhere to coronavirus regulations or risk a $5000 fine and temporary shut-downs 

Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello (pictured) sent a letter to every pub stating they need to fill out a COVID-19 safety plan by Thursday or be shut down for a week

Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello (pictured) sent a letter to every pub stating they need to fill out a COVID-19 safety plan by Thursday or be shut down for a week 

‘Businesses need to take this COVID pandemic seriously and if they can’t do this then they should not be in business,’ Mr Dominello’s letter says.

The warning comes after Premier Gladys ­Berejiklian announced on Tuesday that pubs must limit patron numbers to 300 and restrict group bookings to 10 people.

Venues must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan, enforce contact tracing, space out tables and have hand sanitiser at all times as part of the current Public Health Order.   

Only half of the state’s pubs have completed a coronavirus safety plan and registered as ‘COVID-safe’.  

‘In addition, businesses that have not registered by Monday 20 July, will be the target of the first batch of ­inspections as part of our state-wide general compliance regime,’ Mr Dominello said in the letter.   

The letter warned pubs that had not completed a coronavirus safety plan by close of business on Monday would be hit with a $5000 fine.

Venues that were not registered as ‘COVID-safe’ by COB on Thursday would be shut down for a week and those still unregistered by July 27 would be closed for a month.

Some of the areas and venues within Sydney that have been identified as potential coronavirus hotspots. Anyone who has visited these places are urged to get tested

Some of the areas and venues within Sydney that have been identified as potential coronavirus hotspots. Anyone who has visited these places are urged to get tested

Coronavirus compliance inspections and testing in south-west Sydney (pictured) will be ramped up to fight a growing COVID-19 cluster

Coronavirus compliance inspections and testing in south-west Sydney (pictured) will be ramped up to fight a growing COVID-19 cluster 

The NSW Government is also implementing tighter rules in high risk ­venues like restaurants, ­funerals and weddings. 

People at weddings and corporate events will need to remain seated.

‘No dancing, no singing, no mingling,’ NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

It will step up restaurant and cafe inspections in the emerging COVID-19 cluster area of southwest Sydney to battle against a second wave of coronavirus.    

A Plus Fitness 24/7 gym in Campbelltown was temporarily closed for deep cleaning on Wednesday night after an infected member visited the gym on July 11.   

Plus Fitness 24/7 in Campbelltown has been forced to temporarily close after one of its members tested positive to COVID-19

Plus Fitness 24/7 in Campbelltown has been forced to temporarily close after one of its members tested positive to COVID-19

The further infection followed seven new COVID-19 cases being linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, bringing the total cases associated with the pub cluster to at least 40.

NSW Health reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday from almost 23,000 tests, with six cases locally acquired.

An additional four cases after the 8pm deadline have been connected to the hotel including a child of a known case, a man in his 30s who was a contact of a known case, a male patron in his 80s and a teen who attended Hurricane Grill in Brighton-Le-Sands with a known case. 

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said another case confirmed after 8pm on Wednesday involved a NSW man who on July 12 returned to Ballina from Melbourne on Jetstar flight JQ466, with passengers on that flight being contact traced. 

New South Wales Health is urging anyone who attended the Crossroads Hotel between Friday, July 3 and Friday, July 10 to immediately self-isolate for 14 days. 

Health workers conduct testing at a drive-through COVID-19 clinic at the Crossroads Hotel at Casula in Sydney's south-west

Health workers conduct testing at a drive-through COVID-19 clinic at the Crossroads Hotel at Casula in Sydney’s south-west

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