COVID-19

COVID-19 guidelines & training

The mass COVID-19 shutdown has forced wineries to rethink their entire business model and way of operating. This re-engineering of Cellar Door business – with a clear view to reduce as many touchpoints and risks of transmission of coronavirus will undoubtedly bring about a ‘new normal’ for wine tasting activities.

NSW Wine has developed a set of best practice guidelines (in conjunction with Australian Grape and Wine AGW, the Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association HVWTA as well as generous support of the Restaurant and Catering Association RCA) to allow governments to set out a clear set of obligation and requirements that wine businesses, from the small cellar door to the largest winery, can follow to ensure they follow best practice once health advice states that limited wine tasting activities is permissible.

NSW Wine believes adherence to these guidelines should be considered as best practice to re-open, coupled with a recommendation of a short accreditation process (where applicable) to ensure customers can feel safe tasting wine again, once it is declared safe to do so.

Click on the top button on the right to download the COVIDsafe Guidelines for NSW Cellar Doors.

Please note: since creating this document, the need to record the details of persons entering the Cellar Door and the need for each Cellar Door to have its own COVID-19 safety plan is now a requirement rather than a guideline.

You can download a COVID-19 safety plan template HERE.

The NSW Health Department has also released a document to help different hospitality businesses check they are applying the best practices. You can read the Checklist for COVID-19 Safety for the hospitality industry via the second button on the right.

The latest official Public Health Order for Gatherings and Movements (No.4) was published on 1 July 2020 and can be read via the buttons to the right.

You are no longer limited to a maximum of 50 guests per licence but the 1 person per 4 square metres and the 1.5 metre social distancing regulations must still be adhered to.

Food and drink premises can now take individual group booking of up to 20 customers (previously max of 10). Further details HERE

COVID19 HOSPITALITY BEST PRACTICE TRAINING COURSE

In conjunction with the NSWWIA COVIDSafe guidelines and the NSW Health Dept checklist, we recommend that managers / Cellar Door supervisors complete a relatively simple but comprehensive on line course provided by the Restaurant & Catering Association (RCA).

This course is called COVID-19 Hospitality Best Practice Training. It takes less than an hour and costs only $24.95. it provides a number of useful templates plus certification that can be displayed. The RCA are a registered training provider.

From the RCA:

R&CA are excited to launch our COVID-19 Hospitality Best Practice Training. This training is essential for employers and employees to prepare them post COVID-19 in business and covers the following areas:

1. Social Distancing understanding
2. Creating a Social Distancing Plan (SDP) to suit your organisation
3. Staff Induction for working during COVID-19
4. Working during COVID-19
5. Managing customers during social distancing
6. Cleaning premises and equipment during COVID-19

The training comes with complimentary templates, including:

• Hospitality Business Blueprint
• Employee temperature check release form
• Hospitality best practice plan
• Staff induction post COVID-19