Covid 19 coronavirus: Dunedin pizzeria bans Auckland residents from fears of Covid infection

A Dunedin pizzeria has imposed a temporary ban on all Auckland customers over Covid fears.

A couple on a road trip to the South Island say they were not allowed into Biggie’s Pizza for a drink once they revealed they were coming from Auckland, despite having left the northern region more than two weeks ago.

The disgruntled prospective diner and her partner were shocked and angered by the general refusal, saying they had no ties to any Covid cases and that they did not pose a health risk.

But the restaurant, which is struggling to survive, is unapologetic for its hardline stance of banning customers from Auckland, saying they have the right to turn customers away to protect staff and business.

During the current Alert Level 2, it was a matter of taking “extreme precautions” in case a person with ties to Auckland, where community transmission was still ongoing, brought Covid to their premises.

The 27-year-old, who had been on the South Island since the beginning of the month, said she was surprised when staff questioned her about recent trips.

Questions included whether the couple had been to Auckland.

“We said yes. They asked us when was the last time we were there and we told them September 1.”

At that time they were denied entry.

The couple had been touring the mainland for more than a fortnight, supporting local businesses after recent travel restrictions were relaxed.

They hadn’t felt bad during their vacation in the south.

The couple also had no connection to the Covid cases.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she could not believe she was being subjected to this level of discrimination.

“We have been traveling the South Island, trying to support local businesses and everyone has been very welcoming besides this bar. We were so shocked and angry that we were treated this way and it is not good enough,” he said.

But the restaurant’s owner, Tacey Millard, said today that the Auckland customer ban is about protecting people amid a pandemic.

“We are taking extreme precautions and we have the right to put people out of business in these situations,” Millard responded on Facebook to the disgruntled Aucklander.

“If you actually had the virus, it could put us out of business entirely, which is bad for a small business like ours.”

“While we understand your frustration, we must ensure the best interest of our staff and customers during a global pandemic.”

She told the Herald that it was not an easy decision to make, but that it was necessary given the small size of the facility and the possible havoc an infectious case could cause.

A handful of Auckland travelers were affected by the ban, but understood the reason for the decision.

Similarly, anyone who did not register was not allowed into the restaurant.

Millard said the business, which was a small restaurant, had taken a massive financial hit from this year’s closings and couldn’t risk any more closures in the event that a customer visited Covid-positive.

“We have a very small restaurant and the staff is in contact with everyone,” he said. “Our people and our business are important to us.”

The good news is that restrictions on Auckland customers are likely to be removed with the anticipated switch to alert level 1 next week, he said.