ONE MORE SLEEP TO NEAR NORMAL!

 

 

The very Freo mobile barista at Gypsy Tapas in Queen Street might no longer be needed when we are going to near normal stage from midnight tonight where hospitality venues are allowed to have 100 customers, and the bigger ones up to 300 if they can create separate areas.

The National Hotel will have live music all weekend, Char Char  and Cicerello’s are open again and Kailis in the Fishing Boat Harbour will also re-open from tomorrow.

Little Creatures announced that as soon as they have found solutions to keep staff and patrons safe and can adhere to the Covid-19 social distancing requirements they will also reopen.

I am expecting, and hoping for, a very busy weekend in Fremantle, one that our traders have been hanging out for for months, so be patient when there is more traffic on the road, parking spots harder to find and a lot of people walking around.

When visiting pubs be aware that only table service will be available, so it might take a wee bit longer to get a drink or a meal, but after waiting for so long that should not be an issue. Staff will try their very best to be fast and efficient, so relax, chill, be nice and enjoy the moment, and remember that the pandemic is not over by a long shot, so keep your distance, wash your hands!

Roel Loopers

 

GOOD NEWS FOR FREO HOSPITALITY VENUES

 

 

Good news for the struggling Fremantle hospitality industry with WA Premier Mark McGowan today announcing the relaxation of some Covid-19 restrictions.

From Saturday June 6 hospitality venues are allowed to have only 2sqm per customer, which doubles the current capacity.

Larger venues which can split into self-contained section are allowed to have up to 100 people per section, with a maximum of 300 patrons per venue.

Alcohol can be served without meals, but patrons will need to be seated at all times, which means table service only.

Phase 3 of the COVID-19 WA roadmap allows for:

• indoor and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people at any one time, per single undivided space, applying the revised two square metre per person capacity rule for WA venues
• for venues that can fully re-open under stage 3, up to 300 patrons in total at the venue, but with no more than 100 patrons in a single undivided space at any one time (referred to as 100/300 rule) and applying the revised two square metre per patron capacity rule for WA venues.
• food businesses and licensed premises may operate with seated service
• alcohol may be served without a meal (patrons must be seated)
• food courts can reopen with a seated service
• businesses that provide beauty therapy and personal care services (including tanning, waxing, massages, nails services, tattooing and piercing) to reopen in line with the requirements for hairdressers and barbers
• saunas, bath houses, float centres and wellness centres to reopen
• galleries, museums, theatres, auditoriums, cinemas and concert venues can reopen (during any performance, the patrons must be seated)
• Rottnest Island to open (Rottnest ferries are considered public transport)
• The Perth Zoo to open with no patron limit for the whole venue (the 100/300 rule applies to indoor spaces and cafés/restaurants)
• wildlife and amusement parks can reopen
• arcades (including pool/snooker, ten pin bowling, Timezone), skate rinks and indoor play centres to reopen
• auction houses and real estate auctions can reopen
• TAB and other gaming venues (other than the Casino which is being considered separately) are permitted to reopen
• contact sport and training is now permitted
• playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gym equipment is permitted to be used
• gyms, health clubs, indoor sports centres can open and will be able to offer the normal range of activities provided staff are present, including use of all gym equipment
• travel permitted throughout all of Western Australia (excluding entry into remote Aboriginal communities).

Everyone is encouraged to continue to practice physical distancing and good personal hygiene at all times.

Roel Loopers

AL KUWAIT CREW ON BOARD SINCE DECEMBER

 

If it is true that the crew of the Al Kuwait have not been allowed off the live sheep ship since December, it is a worry.

I received this interesting comment to the blog from Ivana C S, and if this is correct how did the people on the Al Kuwait get Covid-19 when they have not disembarked since December, as Ivana C S claims?

My dad is a cook on this ship. He went to work there before Covid was reported to China. Since December he, and the rest of the crew were not allowed to disembark in any port. Even they don’t know how this happened! He is now in a hotel waiting for test results. I need to say this too, he was supposed to come back in March…because of worldwide lockdown he is still working. So…. no crew were walking the streets of Fremantle… this is a great shock to as all. Greetings from Croatia.

Roel Loopers

THE RESTRICTIONS ARE FOR OUR OWN SAFETY

 

 

Every alfresco table at the Dome cafe on the Fremantle Cappuccino Strip has a large sign on it, stating that they are for table service only.

Half of the tables can’t be used anyway because of the social distancing rules, but there is also plenty of space inside the Dome, to cater for just 20 dine in customers at the time.

I know the restrictions are hurting, but they have so far been very successful. We should praise all the gods in the universe that we have Mark McGowan as Premier of WA, because Liberal leader Liza Harvey has stated she would open the state borders. That in my opinion would be very premature and irresponsible, and endangering the lives of Western Australians.

Roel Loopers

 

 

WELCOME-WE ARE BACK!

 

 

The sun is out and tables, chairs and signs are out in Fremantle to welcome people back to the hospitality venues that are allowed to let people dine in again.

The most important thing is that we stick to the social distancing rules no matter where we are.

Roel Loopers

COFFEE ON YOUR BUM DAY!

 

 

It is Coffee On Your Bum Day, after weeks of coffee on the run days, with the WA state government relaxing the Covid-19 restrictions and allowing dine in at hospitality venues again.

It is still restricted to a maximum of twenty people and with 4 sqm per person, we we all need to adhere to the social distancing rules to make sure we won’t get a spike in coronavirus cases.

Be considerate please and leave the few tables for people who actually dine in and buy a meal, rather than just having a coffee. Our local traders need all the support they can get.

I took these photos before 9am this morning, so not many people out in the alfresco on a pretty cool morning.

Stay safe and well, Freo!

Roel Loopers

COVID-19 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

 

 

Three more historic photos taken today in Fremantle during the Covid-19 restrictions.

Musicians at Kidogo Arthouse without an audience, queueing up for burgers at Grill’d on the Cappuccino Strip, and for fish&chips at Twin Fin in the Fishing Boat Harbour.

There were also around 40 young people at the Esplanade Youth Plaza, although I don’t believe the state government have given permission to reopen skateparks yet. I did not take a photo of it as I don’t want the nice kids to get into trouble about it.

Roel Loopers

 

HAVING FUN WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING

 

 

Let’s start the weekend with a funny tip from Germany about how to force cafe and restaurant patrons to keep the appropriate social distance of 1.5 metre, or 4sqm per person.

Konditorie Rothe in Schwerin makes its patrons wear these silly hats.

Roel Loopers

LEAVE CAFE TABLES FOR PATRONS WHO EAT!

 

 

When on Monday cafes are allowed to have people sitting at tables again and offer dine in meals and coffee, it is important that we try to support them as much as possible by still buying takeaway coffee when we are not having a meal, thus leaving the tables free for people who are going to order a meal.

It is not great for business for people like me to only have a double espresso and occupy a table reading the paper, when that table could be used by dine in customers.

I’d love to sit down, relax and read the morning paper at Chalkys, because I do not like drinking coffee out of a takeaway cup, but I will continue with takeaway until more customers are allowed to be inside cafes.

Above a few more Covid-19 photos I took at the Esplanade Youth Plaza and playground on my way to Chalkys this morning.

Roel Loopers

SMOKE HAZE OVER FREMANTLE

 

 

I woke up to the smell of smoke early this morning and noticed there is quite a bit of haze over Fremantle, as the photo I took of of Fremantle Port shows.

We have had some amazing sunsets lately, so take advantage of the stunning weather because it will be changing after the weekend with a cold front coming in.

Roel Loopers