IF you ask deputy mayor Ian North, Country Coffee has set the "benchmark" for a COVID-safe business in Bathurst.
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He made the comment at Bathurst Regional Council's August meeting, saying staff were doing a wonderful job.
It has been a tough year for the George Street cafe, which was forced to close for a period of time and then reduce its staff from 30 employees to 10 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Country Coffee manager Jane Issa said the cafe is just following the rules set out by the NSW Government, but it's very clear that staff are going above and beyond to protect customers and themselves.
All the tables are 1.5 metres away from the next and each one is kept clear of all the things you would typically find at a restaurant or cafe.
"We literally only have a table number on the tables, no salt and peppers, all of that stuff's not on there," Ms Issa said.
Country Coffee has limited the number of patrons to 25 at one time and is very strict on that rule.
"We're very pedantic in making sure that we only have 25 people in the restaurant. The amount of people we've had to turn away, they get quite upset because they can see an empty table," Ms Issa said.
All patrons are asked to sanitise their hands upon arrival, to provide their name and contact details, and to wait by the door to be seated.
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The cafe also has extra tables to allow for faster turnover and each table is cleaned immediately after a party leaves.
Ms Issa said most customers are understanding of the rules and she has received some good feedback, with some saying that Country Coffee is the only place they feel safe to dine at.
"That actually makes myself feel really good and all the staff feel really good, that we are doing the right thing to try to keep everyone safe," she said.
She also praised her staff, who have "adapted well" to the changes in the business.
While the cafe isn't as busy as it was pre-COVID, Ms Issa said the workload for staff members has increased with the additional sanitising, cleaning and how vigilant they need to be about numbers.
She encouraged the community to keep supporting local businesses during the pandemic and to follow all the directions they're given in regards to hygiene and social distancing.
"This is our livelihoods. If everyone doesn't follow suit and do the right thing, we'll end up getting in a lockdown again, and nobody wants that," Ms Issa said.
