Shopping centres around the country will remain open but additional services will close from midnight tonight, following the most recent National Cabinet meeting.
This includes beauty therapy, day spas, massage, nail bars, laser clinics, tanning and waxing salons.
Hairdressers will remain open with appointments limited to 30 minutes and the one person per four square metre rule applies.
Food court seating areas will be closed but food and dining operators remain open and can continue take-away and delivery services.
All other retail and services remain trading with physical distancing in place throughout centres and retail stores.
Vicinity Centres CEO and managing director Grant Kelley said:
“We support the clear message that physical distancing is a key defence against the spread of Covid-19, and we have put in place measures to reiterate to the community to keep a healthy distance from one another while they are visiting our centres.
“From last Friday, we’ve updated and increased the promotion of physical distancing, removed food court seating and closed playgrounds. We continue working with our food and beverage retailers to ensure physical distancing during ordering and pick up and are assisting with any new requirements they have for delivery.”
Kelley said Vicinity’s teams had been working to prepare the business and its retailers for the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and were operationally mobilised to put in place any necessary government measures as they come into effect.
“We are continuing to work directly with our retailers on a case-by-case basis, including both our retailers who continue to trade and those that aren’t operational, and are committed to supporting them during this period of uncertainty and unprecedented challenge.”
Beauty retailers such as Sephora remain open in Australia, but with client makeovers across Australia still banned and strict “no-touch” policies in place.
All pharmacies, including Priceline etc, will continue to remain open as they provide essential services, however, physical contact will be reduced and any non-essential services have ceased.
Customers should contact closing or closed retailers directly if they have any outstanding queries.
For a list of retailers that are currently closed, visit each centre’s website.
This article was first published on retailbiz.com.au.