MOUNT Gambier’s Thyme at the Lakes may have closed indefinitely due to COVID-19 if it was not for the Federal Government’s JobKeeper initiative.
Like many businesses in the South East region, restaurant executive chef Nick Katris revealed he had relied heavily on JobKeeper over recent months to keep both his employees in jobs and the popular gourmet venue afloat.
Mr Katris said he doubted whether the hospitality industry would have been able to survive without the payment scheme, with it allowing him to keep seven of his staff members employed.
Expected to be phased out by the end of September, Mr Katris said he was worried that if the virus had not settled by then many businesses would be in strife.
“We really did not want to lose any of our staff as they are all very valuable to us and we treat them like our family,” Mr Katris said.
“We really need them and it was already scary enough, but to then tell people they were also out of a job as well would have been a lot.
“A lot of places did have to let people go which can be hard, but we tried out best to keep on the positive side.”
Mr Katris said although a time frame had been established for when the government funding was expected to be cut, he hoped the payments would be extended until a vaccine was created.
“JobKeeper has been the thing which has made us basically survive and without it, it would have definitely been a very big struggle,” he said.
“We are slowly getting back to normal, but we do have those days where we would not be able get through without the payments.
“It would have hurt us to the point where we may have not been reopening at all. It was very sad and stressful time. “
Grateful for the community’s support, Mr Katris said he still doubted how the hospitality venue would go when JobKeeper repayments were reduced.
“We do not really know how we will go, it has been great at the moment because locals are really supporting each other very well,” he said.
“It will be interesting to see how it works because that excess money which is rolling through from the government will no longer be there.
“Here is to hoping people will still want to go out and spend that little bit of money on leisure and luxury.”
Mr Katris said they were taking each day as it came, but he was worried about what would happen if Victorian border restrictions remained around the Christmas holiday period.
“We are worried we will not have that influx of visitors,” he said.
“While the money is there, I think everyone has been trying to budget on things they do not need as there is still that uncertainty.”
Using his time as effectively as possible, Mr Katris said he was able to complete jobs when the business was not busy including basic renovations and installing a vegetable garden.
Adapting to restrictions, Mr Katris said Thyme at the Lakes did attempt takeaway options during the crisis, but it was not as successful as what they would have hoped.
“We are not really known for takeaway as we are more about the experience we offer and the atmosphere,” he said.
“We did try and keep our normal menu so people made usual orders and take it home.
“It was obviously not quite the same, but at least there was still some of that same feel.”
Mr Katris said it had been nothing but positive since restrictions were eased across Australia earlier this week.
“We have been back running basically normal for around a week and have had great nights all the way through,” he said.
“It is great to have people in again and have that atmosphere back.
“The first night we could have 50 people in the area and there was just smiles all round.”
