Chairman Dan says you CAN get on the beers: Pubs will be allowed to serve beer without food from Monday
- Pubs will no longer have to serve food with alcoholic beverages from Monday
- Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Saturday
- It comes after the strict Premier urged people not to ‘get on the beers’ in March
- His comments have been made into a hilarious online video and inspired memes
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Victorians will no longer have to order food with drinks in pubs from Monday allowing them to ‘get on the beers’ at last.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement during a press conference on Saturday while discussing tightening other restrictions after an increase of coronavirus cases.
‘I know that won’t be a huge boost for metropolitan venues but it will, I think, be certainly from industry feedback that I’ve received, that will be very welcome news, particularly in some smaller country pubs,’ Mr Andrew said.
He said if an uptick in cases were traced back to these venues the government reserves the right to reverse this decision.
From Monday Victorians will no longer have to order food with drinks allowing them to ‘get on the beers’
On March 23 Mr Andrews famously warned Victorians lockdown wasn’t a time to ‘get on the beers’ with friends inside your home.
‘You can’t go to the pub because they are shut but that doesn’t mean you can have all your mates around to home and get on the beers,’ he said at the time.
‘It’s not appropriate and it’s not essential.’
A total of 25 new cases had been recorded in the state on Saturday, up from 13 on Friday, 18 on Thursday and 21 on Wednesday.
Cafes, restaurants and pubs were set to increase their capacity from 20 people to 50 people on Monday but this will be delayed.
Mr Andrews urged pubs to engage in a strict cleaning schedule to stop the spread of the virus.
‘There is rigorous cleaning. No-one is greeting the person they are having a beer with with a hug or a kiss. No-one is shaking hands,’ Mr Andrews said.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Saturday while also discussing restrictions that would be tightened following a surge in coronavirus cases
Mr Andrews said the spike was being ‘driven by families having big get-togethers and not following the advice around distancing and hygiene.’
‘In fact, around half of our cases since the end of April have come from transmission inside someone’s home,’ he said.
‘You can see how this could happen. People feeling relaxed at home. Letting their guard down. Letting old habits creep back. But we are still in a pandemic – and people’s lives are still at risk.’