The New South Wales government has declared that bars and pubs in the state will be allowed to welcome up to 50 people by June 1.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the latest round of coronavirus case figures prove it is becoming safer for people to reenter the community.
Establishments have previously been restricted to just 10 people and the actual public bar sections have been shut, meaning people wanting a beer or wine would have to have it with a meal.
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Under the new guidelines, the bar section will be permitted to open and welcome five times the number of people previously allowed.
There will be a maximum booking of 10 people and venues will still have to adhere to the rule of one person every four-square metres of area within the space.
That doesn't mean they necessarily have to sit that far apart, but smaller establishments will be restricted by their total space. Patrons will, however, be forced to socially distance themselves from other groups.
Most small businesses have been hoping for the limit to be extended from 10 to 20 people, however the NSW government believed that increasing it to 50 would allow many venues to reopen much faster, which will not only help the economy but also resurrect more jobs.
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Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said: "There are about 280,000 people employed in this sector of the economy and allowing venues to safely cater for more customers will provide another boost to business and jobs."
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