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.

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

IMPORTANT UPDATES, effective from Friday 24 July -

• Winery cellar doors will not be able to take bookings greater than 10 people. Patrons will need to be seated at all times.
• Businesses will also need to have a COVID Safety Plan AND register it with the NSW Government. Click here for a plan template and click here to register your plan.
• Businesses will also be required to retain customer records in a digital format. NSWWIA’s recommended record keeping system is guestHQ - Register here.
• Businesses are obligated to alert Safework NSW if one of their staff tests positive to CV19 – Register here.
• Weddings and corporate events will have a maximum of 150 people and attendees must be seated with no mingling or dancing.
• All of these maximum numbers must comply with the 4 square metre rule and 1.5m social distancing. It is unlikely that your maximum patronage will be affected.
• Winery Cellar Doors, cafes, restaurants etc. must appoint a dedicated COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshal to oversee social distancing, cleaning and hygiene at the venue. (They can be a normal working member of staff and can conduct other duties as well as monitoring the premise for Covid Safe practices.)
• The COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshal must be dressed in distinctive clothing (e.g. a hi-vis vest).
• Large hospitality venues with a capacity of more than 250 people must have a COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshal on duty whenever the venue is open.
• Smaller hospitality venues with a capacity of less than 250 people must have a COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshal during peak periods, and at least during lunch from 12pm to 3pm, and dinner from 5pm to 9pm.

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