The region's peak business body has welcomed the NSW Government's lockdown support package as well-timed support for business but operators feel some improvements can be made.
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Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth said it was great to see a swift response from the government.
But Lachlan Stevens, of His Boy Elroy ,has some concerns about the Dine & Discover extension.
Mr Stevens said it was good vouchers could now be used for takeaway delivered directly to the customer's home but not that the venue has to do it itself.
He said that will actually add a cost and take business away from other enterprises such as delivery companies.
"It is more cost effective for a delivery company to deliver our product," he said.
"It is not a financially sustainable model for us to run deliveries. We found that out during the previous lockdown."
Mr Stevens said prior to the latest lockdown the number of Dine & Discover vouchers being redeemed had tapered right off.
"By extending it you are extending it to people who aren't motivated to redeem them," he said.
"So I question the value of the date extension. I think it would be much better utilised if there was a Dine & Discover top-up system where the Government put money onto the Service NSW app for people who have redeemed Dine & Discover already.
"That is rewarding people who have used it and providing motivation for people who haven't redeemed them yet."
Mr Stevens encouraged the local community to get out and use their vouchers when they can safely to support local small businesses as much as they can.
"That is where the impact of these kinds of incentives really helps," he said.
Mr Stevens said the new grants for small business were good and the funding being allocated according to the nature of the loss in turnover meant His Boy Elroy would be eligible for for $5000 because it has lost about 30 per cent of its trade since the weekend.
"But there needs to be a little more clarity about what period we are assessing that revenue loss from."
At Litani's Doreen McKibbon-Agno said the restaurant started doing takeaways from 6pm on Saturday.
"We are on MenuLog as well as our own app. With that one we deliver on our own," she said.
Ms McKibbon-Agno said the extension of Dine & Discover would be good but Service NSW recently suspended the eatery's account because a mystery shopper ordered food using a Dine & Discover voucher and it was accidently processed not realising it couldn't be used for takeaway.
She said it was an honest mistake and if the vouchers can now be used for takeaway that would be a great thing for the hospitality industry.
At Steamers Jim Eddy said the grants were welcome and being able to use the Dine & Discover vouchers for takeaways was good but nothing equals having customers inside an actual restaurant.
He said takeaway meals alone don't cover wages and the best news will be if the present lockdown is able to stop the spread of COVID-19 and everyone is able to reopen their doors in two weeks.
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