Ballarat businesses have long been warning about the choice between a day paying public holiday rates to staff members or shutting for the new Grand Final Eve public holiday.
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The state government’s insistence the long weekend would be a boom for regional tourism was somewhat borne out on Friday but the opening day of the Archibald Prize was responsible for many of the visitors.
Racers café owner Adam Rasmussen said he was running the lakeside venue with fewer staff on to make ends meet.
“Whatever you do comes at a compromise; you put on too many staff, they’re not doing enough, or you don’t put on enough for decent service, and that will come at cost too,” he said.
Mr Rasmussen said they had been dealt a lucky hand by the sunny conditions.
“If the weather wasn’t so good, it would have been a disaster,” he said.
On Friday morning, he compared the number of customers to a normal weekend, but down on other public holidays.
Melbourne man Wayne Spreadborough was angry at the public holiday despite using it to come and see the Archibald Prize collection at the Art Gallery of Ballarat and spend time at Lake Wendouree.
“Its sole purpose is the parade, it’s just ridiculous,” he said, adding his payroll business was losing more than $40,000 for the day.
Commerce Ballarat has been a vocal opponent since the plan for more public holidays was announced before the 2014 election.
Chairman David Wright said they would know better next week whether the holiday had been as crippling as predicted when the results of their survey come through, but was concerned about inconsistency in which shops, cafes and restaurants were open.
“What we’re worried about is a stagnation of the city,” he said.
“It’s haphazard by way of what’s opened and what’s hasn’t, as to locals and visitors are concerned,” he said.
Mr Wright was also concerned about business owners working extra long shifts to avoid paying staff high penalty rates and people losing shifts because of the penalty rates.
“It’s all very well (businesses) have opened, but at what cost?” he said.