Online food directory Eat, Drink, West has launched a platform for consumers to find out how they can support restaurants, cafes and producers during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The website showcases venues that are offering takeaway and delivery options in response to the shutdown of dine-in hospitality venues to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Racers Bar and Cafe is one of the venues promoted on the website.
At the moment I am just taking it day by day.
- Adam Rasmussen, Racers Bar and Cafe
Owner Adam Rasmussen said Racers was offering its full menu on the Skip app as a takeaway option, allowing customers to order ahead and pick up when the order is ready.
"I was feeling pretty gutted on Sunday night as I am sure all the other restaurants, cafes and all the venues that have been asked to close were," he said.
"We are getting by the best we can. At the moment I am just taking it day by day.
"I feel like we are treading water a bit really, which is fine. If I can maintain a tread water situation then that will keep us going and keep a few of our staff employed."
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Mr Rasmussen said telling most of his 22 employees there would be no work for them in the foreseeable future was one of the hardest things he has had to do as a business owner.
"If this pads out for two months and I can sustain something reasonable and keep a few people in a job, that is important to me," he said.
"My staff have been so good to me. I want to be able to keep them in a job and if I can't, I want to be able to give them a job as soon as the pandemic is under control, to be able to come back and have a loyal team ready to go.
"It has been quite emotional."
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Mr Rasmussen said he was reassessing whether it was viable to remain open a few times a day and evaluating at the end of each day whether he would come back tomorrow.
"At the moment I am coming back tomorrow which is good," he said.
"It is a big hit we will take if we have to shut the door because there are the ongoing costs people don't realise with rent, rate, water and power. Next month's money pays for this month's bills, so if I have no money next month there is nothing to pay for this month's bills."
"At the moment it is tough and I will be taking a hit, I won't be covering my costs. I can do that for a bit but not forever."
Plate Up Ballarat and Eat, Drink, West founder Kate Davis said the cancellation of Plate Up Ballarat drove her to find another way to support the region's producers and hospitality venues.
"Plate Up has always been about bringing the industry together," she said.
"Creating this page has enabled us to show our community a number of venues continuing to open in Ballarat and their diverse range of offerings.
"It is really difficult - the situation is changing every day and we are working with them every day to see how we can help them. We feel for the owners who have had to close.
"It is really important we work together as a community."
Ms Davis said the takeaway and delivery options from hospitality venues also provided an opportunity for people to send a meal to a loved one or vulnerable members of the community during this challenging time.
Ms Davis said her next project was to work on creating a local produce box that can be delivered to people's homes, in anticipation that increasing numbers of residents will not want to go to the supermarket.
"Ultimately this would support our local producers and get the food we need," she said.
"We are working on ways to ensure people can get healthy, fresh and nutritious produce."
Visit eatdrinkwest.com.au/.
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