Live gigs with full bands and decent-sized crowds appear to be a long way off, with local venues wary of opening up too soon under the current regulations.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On September 28 the NSW government updated its capacity guidelines for "entertainment venues" such as theatres, cinemas and concert halls.
These venues are able to increase capacity to up to 50 per cent of the usual maximum, to a limit of 1,000 people.
However pubs and clubs that provide live entertainment are not considered entertainment venues, meaning they must stick to the one person per four-square-metre rule.
The Victoria Hotel is putting on the occasional solo performer, however the pub's longstanding 4 on the 4loor nights, which featured multiple bands, remain on ice.
The promoter of 4 on the 4loor, Jon Carter, said that with the four-square-metre rule the pub can only allow about 55 punters in to a gig.
"It's just not viable as far as the Vic goes, with that maximum, to have a big night of entertainment, paying big dollars for bands when there can only be 55 people there."
He said the fact that patrons had to remain seated when they wanted to dance made it all the more difficult.
"You're rubbing shoulders with strangers at gigs," Mr Carter said.
"There is no light at the end of the tunnel, and I don't think pubs will be back with bands until next year."
He said that when the restrictions are finally over the live scene will light up.
"It'll be mega," he said. "People will be waiting."
Sara Swain at Orange City Bowling Club said the club hoped to have more events "a bit later on", but that the four-square-metre rules cruelled the regular dances featuring old-timey music for more mature members.
"Dancing is not allowed, and we can only seat 40 people in the auditorium," she said.
- READ ALSO: South Sydney Rabbitohs to play in Dubbo
"We'll sit down and discuss what we're going to do, and how we're going to do it. It really hinges on the rules."
The Agrestic Grocer is not doing live music at the moment, and no shows are listed at the Orange Ex-Services Club.
Health minister Brad Hazzard has said the guidelines differentiating pubs and clubs from other entertainment venues would be reviewed.
"If it is not working in the way we're intending it to work then we're happy to have a look at it," Mr Hazzard told a parliamentary inquiry into the government's response to the pandemic.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Send us a letter to the editor using the form below ...
