Businesses in Wodonga are deflated and angry about the Victorian government backing down on a planned easing of COVID-19 restrictions due to come into effect on Monday.
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Hospitality outlets have been the hardest hit with restrictions of no more than 20 people being able to attend them staying in force until July 12.
Cafes, restaurants and pubs had been set to be allow 50 patrons at one time before Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the status quo would remain due to the spike in cases in Melbourne.
"We were working tirelessly to get to the next stage," Wodonga's Huon Hill Hotel owner Bill Perry said.
"Regional areas are being crucified when there are no cases in Wodonga and the North East.
"They are carrying the can for what is happening in the suburbs of Melbourne.
"I've spoken to several hoteliers and they are all genuinely deflated, particularly after working so hard to do what we've done in following the restrictions."
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The only positive for pubs is patrons no longer have to purchase a meal to buy a beer.
Wodonga's recently redeveloped Church Street Hotel is re-opening for the first time on Thursday and the Birallee Tavern's TAB will re-open on Tuesday after a lengthy shutdown.
The ongoing restrictions also put Wodonga pubs at a disadvantage to Albury hotels which continue to operate under less strict arrangements.
Gyms, cinemas, indoor sports centres and concert venues will be allowed to re-open as planned on Monday, but will be restricted to a limit of just 20 people.
PT Fitness gym owner Nic Conway said his facility was opening for the first time since lockdown began in mid-March.
"Our members have genuinely missed not being able to come to the gym," he said.
"We've got a very engaged community and the lockdown was a really big issue for sometime.
"People were struggling for motivation and the mental health was quite apparent in some instances.
"Clearly people go to a gym to get fitter, but we refer to ourselves similarly to a men's shed where just coming along and being able to say g'day to someone and spending an hour with someone is important."
Business Wodonga chairman Graham Jenkin said operators of pubs, cafes and restaurants would continue to hurt after gearing up to welcome back more customers from today.
"The announcement on Saturday would have been heartbreaking for those business owners," he said.
"Also their employees who were preparing to come back to work and now they are not."
As part of the changes announced by Mr Andrews, the number of people allowed at private gatherings will go back down to five guests, plus the members of a household and those attending public gatherings such as protests drops from 20 to 10.
But there are no changes to the limit of 20 people who can attend an auction or open house inspection.
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