Here's How The New Post-lockdown Restrictions Affects Victorian Entertainment Venues

New restrictions are in place for Victorian entertainment venues in light of today's announcement that the five day snap lockdown is lifting as planned tomorrow. 

"From 11:59pm tonight, we will largely return to the previous rules – while keeping a watchful eye on some of the riskier settings," said Premier Daniel Andrews in a statement today. 

"There’ll no longer be four reasons to leave home. The five-kilometre restriction will no longer apply.

"Restaurants and retail can reopen. Same too with community facilities, entertainment venues and all other public places – although some additional limits on crowd sizes will be in place."

These restrictions include limiting capacity at both indoor and outdoor seated entertainment venues, with indoor spaces capped at 50% for a maximum of 300 patrons per space. Outdoors can operate at 75% seated capacity, up to 1000. Capacities can be exceeded on a case by case basis with correct, approved COVID-safe plans in plans. 

Nightclubs will also reopening, with standing service permitted and a density quotient of one patron per 4sqm on a dancefloor up to a maximum of 50 people. There is no maximum patron limit for other areas of the venue but venues must adhere to the density quotient of one patron per 2sqm. 

See a list of the newly announced restrictions below and head here for more info. 

• Seated entertainment venues (indoors and outdoors): Open, for indoor spaces the patron cap is 50% of seated capacity for a maximum of 300 per space. Over 300 patrons must operate under the Public Events Framework. Density quotient of 1 per 2sqm in foyers, bars, bathrooms etc when using electronic record keeping. In venues not using electronic record a density quotient of 1 per 4 sqm applies. Venues with capacity of greater than 500 patrons must publish a COVIDSafe Plan online.
  
  
• For outdoor spaces the patron cap is 75% of seated capacity. Arrangements for capacity over 1000 are determined on an individual basis under the Public Events Framework.
  
  
• Cinemas: 50% of seated capacity to a maximum of 300 per indoor space. Density quotient of 1 per 2sqm for foyers, bars, bathrooms etc when using electronic record keeping, otherwise density quotient of 1 per 4sqm.
  
  
• Indoor non-seated venues (such as galleries): Open, up to 50 per cent total capacity with maximum patron cap of 300 people per space. Density quotient of 1 per 2sqm when using electronic record keeping. In venues not using electronic record a density quotient of 1 per 4 sqm applies. Venues with capacity of greater than 500 patrons must publish a COVIDSafe Plan online. Over 300 patrons must operate under the Public Events Framework.
  
  
• Outdoor non-seated entertainment venues (such as Zoos, live museums): Open, patron cap is 75 per cent of occupancy limit. Density quotient of 1 per 2sqm when using electronic record keeping. In venues not using electronic record a density quotient of 1 per 4 sqm applies. Group limits removed. Indoor spaces at outdoor venues open, subject to restrictions relevant to the space (e.g. hospitality or retail). Venues with capacity of greater than 500 patrons must publish a COVIDSafe Plan online. Venues over 1000 must operate under the Public Events Framework.
  
  
• Arcades, escape rooms, bingo centres: Open, no maximum patron caps and a density quotient of 1 per 2sqm applies when using electronic record keeping. In venues not using electronic record a density quotient of 1 per 4 sqm applies.
  
  
• Drive in cinemas: Open, in areas outside of vehicles density quotient of 1 per 2sqm applies when using electronic record keeping. In venues not using electronic record a density quotient of 1 per 4 sqm applies. Venues with capacity of greater than 500 patrons must publish a COVIDSafe Plan online.
  
  
• Nightclubs: Open, standing service permitted. Density quotient of 1 per 4sqm on a dancefloor up to a maximum of 50 people. Density quotient of 1 per 2sqm elsewhere in the venue, with no maximum patron limit. Electronic record keeping required.