Horsham's venues are back at it after five-day lockdown ends

This comes after Premier Daniel Andrews announced an end to the snap five-day lockdown, with hospitality returning to trading.

Exchange Hotel Owner Nick Murray said there was a lot of work to do to prepare for the re-opening.

"Obviously there is a lot of food prep to re-do because we have thrown it out so we have to start from scratch. Cleaning beer lines, that sort of thing," he said.

"I am hopeful that people will flock to the pub. Although it has only been five days it has been pretty hot, the climate been nice, so people have been looking out and about.

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"With the good weather and the weekend hopefully, we can kick some goal and recoup some of our losses."

Mr Murray said when he heard the news of the snap lockdown last week "disbelief quickly turned to anger".

"Given our remoteness and our distance from any community transmission it beggars belief that we were locked down in the first place," he said.

"To lock us down on a Saturday without any notice whatsoever is really tough and unnecessary particularly in regional Victoria where we are unaffected.

"Especially locking us down on a Saturday when we have functions planned, a lot of finger food functions planned."

Mr Murray said over $5000 - $6000 of food stocked for the weekend had to be thrown out due to the lockdown.

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"It has also cost us $30,000 in turnover, so it has affected us hugely," he said.

However, White Hart Hotel publican Bruce Hartigan had a different opinion on the recent lockdown.

Although his business was affected by the sudden closure, but Mr Hartigan said the loss of money was worth ensuring community safety.

"In the long run, if the lockdown provides us with safety through the community of people not dying with the coronavirus, then you've just got to suck it up," he said.

"I could single me out and say 'I've been affected dramatically because I have had no business' but there are thousands of people in the same boat.

"In the end, we are all striving to be virus-free so that we are not killing people.

"Everyone likes money, and we've got to have it, but at the end of the day if a five-year-old child dies from the virus because we are wanting to open up, that's stupidity, that's negligence, that's insane."

For more information on restrictions call the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398, or visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

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