Pig and Whistle Historic Pub manager Shaylee Creighton - the pub will be celebrating New Year's Eve with a live band. Photo / Andrew Warner
Pig and Whistle Historic Pub manager Shaylee Creighton - the pub will be celebrating New Year's Eve with a live band. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hospitality businesses in Rotorua are planning for a big New Year's Eve as the area moves to the orange setting just in time to welcome 2022.
Taupō, Rotorua Lakes, Kawerau, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki will move to the orange setting at 11.59pm today meaning vaccinated people can enjoy uncapped gatherings and full hospitality venues.
For businesses and venues using vaccine certificates, moving to orange means there will be no restrictions on numbers. There will no longer be a requirement for all patrons of a venue to be seated and served.
Pig and Whistle Historic Pub and Capers Epicurean owner Gregg Brown said he was celebrating New Year's Eve with a live band and was "very much looking forward" to the move to orange.
The band was called Red Zone which he joked was "an unfortunate name for a band for New Year's Eve going into orange".
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Hospitality venues will be able to enjoy uncapped numbers in the orange traffic light setting. Photo / Andrew Warner
"I think people might be nervous but if you're vaccinated then isn't that what the reason for vaccination is all about? Let your hair down and have a bit of fun."
Brown said the orange traffic light setting would be "positive" for business but acknowledged the red setting had "served its purpose".
Skyline Skyrides general manager Andrew Jensen is looking forward to uncapped guest numbers. Photo / Andrew Warner
Skyline Skyrides general manager Andrew Jensen said it could now reopen its "world-famous Stratosfare buffet" and restart its full market kitchen cafe offering.
Moving to orange was a "tremendous" relief and it would no longer have to limit guest numbers on the gondola, luge and other activities.
"We are thrilled to be back to normal operations [and] doing what we do best – delivering real fun and smiles to all of our great guests."
Labour list MP Tamati Coffey will be celebrating the move to orange with a dress-up orange party. Photo / Andrew Warner
Speaking as a bar owner, Labour list MP Tamati Coffey said for the past two years, everyone had to be seated and spaced out with a single server which "makes it very difficult to run a bar".
"The move to orange really removes a lot of those restrictions so for the first time, people of Rotorua will be able to dance and go out and actually have a fun night out."
On New Year's Eve, Coffey will be hosting a "dress-up orange party" at Our House and The Rotorua International to celebrate the move.
"I think the theme here is just that people are keen to have fun."
Co-owner of Brew Bar and Croucher Brewing Paul Croucher. Photo / Andrew Warner
However, co-owner of Brew Bar and Croucher Brewing Paul Croucher said he was not planning anything for New Year's Eve and in his view, people did not feel confident to go out.
Croucher had spent time in Cambridge where hospitality was "going nuts," but in Rotorua, there did not seem to be that "exuberance" about going out.
Hospitality New Zealand Bay of Plenty branch president Reg Hennessy said hospitality was "absolutely on its knees" and the move to orange should have happened a month ago.
"It can only help us because we desperately need it."
Lakes District Health Board chief executive Nick Saville-Wood said the DHB had been planning its response to care in the community "for some time" based on the experiences of the Auckland and Waikato boards.
The DHB and the community would be "in a reasonable position to deal with the change" provided people continued wearing face masks, washing hands, keeping two metres apart, getting vaccinated and undertaking isolation requirements where necessary, Saville-Wood said.
"We continue to encourage anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated today, including those eligible for a booster dose."
As of December 28, 92 per cent of the Lakes eligible population had received one dose and 87 per cent were fully vaccinated.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay said rules under orange and red were "restrictive" for some businesses and wanted to know when Rotorua would move to green.
This applied to tourism and hospitality, but also gyms, beauty therapies and hair salons, he said.
"That would make it easier for businesses and give them much more certainty."
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the city needed visitors and for residents to keep supporting local businesses.
"The fewer restrictions on how businesses can operate, especially at this critical time of year for many operators, the better, so moving from red to orange will certainly be welcomed."
What else does orange mean?
Gatherings such as weddings, funerals, social sport, and faith-based gatherings can go ahead with unlimited numbers provided all participants are vaccinated.
If a gathering chooses to follow My Vaccine Pass, only people who are vaccinated will be allowed to attend. Children under the age of 12 years and three months will be exempt.
Businesses and private gatherings will have an obligation to ensure attendees are vaccinated.
Moving to orange will also mean a return to the office for some, as workplaces will reopen.
Controlled-access events such as cinemas, theatres, stadiums, concerts and private galleries can go ahead without limitations with the use of vaccine passes.
Freedoms will continue to be restricted for unvaccinated people and businesses under the orange setting.
Hospitality venues that are not using vaccine passes can only open for contactless pick-up or delivery.
An unvaccinated person will be unable to attend events or gatherings, or visit venues that require a vaccine pass for entry.
A gathering at your home that does not use vaccine passports must be limited to 50 people. Gatherings held at other venues will be restricted to 50 people based on one-metre physical distancing.
At all traffic light settings, face coverings will be mandatory on public transport, flights, in retail, public facilities and supermarkets. Mandatory record-keeping and scanning will also continue.
Rotorua Lakes Council facilities
Orange settings are similar to red for council facilities and information about its facilities and services under orange are available on its website.
The night market and the farmers market will operate during the summer holidays. Vaccine passes are required for the night market but not for the farmers market. Visitors must wear a mask, scan in and keep a one-metre distance from others.
The library can accommodate up to 300 people and a vaccine pass is required. A click and collect service is also available.
At every colour setting:
• Take your face covering when you leave the house and be ready to wear it;
