By Laura Michell
Businesses across Whittlesea and Hume are looking for ways to adapt their services and keep people employed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many restaurants and cafes have already switched to takeaway and delivery services, with butchers, greengrocers and bakers across both municipalities also starting to offer home delivery.
Other businesses, including Mickleham’s Marnong Estate, have added new services.
Marnong Estate has cancelled its weddings and functions and closed its restaurant, bar and accommodation as a result of federal and state government restrictions.
To help keep staff employed, a farm shop and takeaway cafe has opened on the estate.
Executive Chef Adam Upton-Browning said the estate had adapted rapidly to stay open and continue supporting customers and farmers.
“With these uncertain times, it’s about what we can offer to be able to assist our community and let them know we are here for them,” he said.
Shopping centres across Whittlesea and Hume are also working to ease the impact of COVID-19 on retailers.
Vicinity Centres, which manages Broadmeadows Central and Roxburgh Village has reduced the opening hours of its centres to lower costs for retailers.
Both centres will be open 10am-5pm daily, however supermarkets, pharmacies, medical centres and speciality retailers may open outside of these hours.
Chief executive Grant Kellery said the new opening hours would give retailers the flexibility to manage their businesses and keep team members employed.
Pacific Epping centre manager Simon Brown said he was committed to working flexibly with retailers to “navigate this uncharted situation together”.
A spokesperson for Lendlease, which operates Craigieburn Centre, said centre management would continue discussions with retailers about how businesses could be supported during the pandemic.
