THE Greater Ararat region is a "resilient town."
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This is how the Ararat Greater Business Network president and Ararat RSL manager Maria Whitford described her community.
Ms Whitford said Ararat are ready to do what they need to do to survive what comes their way.
"We know how to pivot the business now and we are just getting on with it," she said.
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"While it is not great for us, I think we are a really strong and robust town."
The Acting Premier for Victoria James Merlino announced on Wednesday, June 2, that restrictions would ease for regional Victoria but remain largely the same for greater Melbourne. Consequently, there is likely to be fewer tourists travelling to Ararat and beyond.
"The closing of borders has an effect across every industry. The most affected this time are the staff. The pool of casual staff not being able to get out and hours is really tough," Ms Whitford said.
"We have been really lucky, we pivoted the business back in March by doing takeaway food. It hasn't made a lot of money but it is not about the money at this point it was about keeping the staff employed, being sure we could stay open for our veterans and people."
But Ms Whitford said businesses need to have plans in place but support is there.
"Your business might not look the same during COVID than after COVID, so you need to have some plans in place," she said.
"In Greater Ararat, we are very supportive."
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Ms Whitford did lament frustration over the lockdown and confusing messaging.
"We rely heavily on tourism, we really heavily depend on that traffic to come though," she said.
"I don't know why they didn't just shut us down for 14 days. It's a slow and painful process that doesn't allow you to pivot your business quick enough.
"There is no traffic, so is it worth it?"
One Ararat business owner Khoon Thai's Tukta Ubuabon said she is pleased her business can at least have seated customers now but lack of tourists will impact the business.
"Normally on the weekend we have more people come through," she said.
The restaurant will be able to have 20 people in the sit-in dining area, plenty of people went to Khoon Thai for takeaway during lockdown as well.
"We have good support from our locals," Ms Ubuabon.
"During lockdown people were using delivery. It was quite popular."
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