Panthers Leagues Club is just one of the Bathurst businesses counting down the minutes to their post-lockdown reopening today.
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While some businesses in town remained operating to some extent during lockdown, Panthers made the decision to completely close.
General manager John Fearnley is looking forward to seeing the club's staff and members again, even if numbers will be limited initially.
"We're just following the NSW Health regulations but hopefully we can get up and get running again and in a couple months time in December it all opens back up not under any restrictions," Mr Fearnley said.
"The main thing is just being open again and getting all our staff back to work.
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"We have close to 80-odd staff here so getting them back to work and also we have our 10,000 members so obviously just being open for them to come and get back into the facilities."
Starting Monday, October 11, fully vaccinated locals will be allowed to attend Panthers during their regular trading hours, but proof of vaccination must be shown.
Although numbers will be limited initially complying with the square metre regulations, Mr Fearnley is keen to see things returning to normality.
"Our club has a very large floor space so it shouldn't be too hard," he said.
"We're going to hit the ground running with things like our bingo. The only thing that won't be starting back up will be our members draw, we'll start that back when all restrictions are fully lifted."
Panthers is known for hosting regular entertainment which won't happen straight away but is on the agenda for later this year and early next year.
"We've got shows booked in for December, January and February so looking forward to all those getting back up and going," Mr Fearnley said.
"Again it's just based on those vaccinations and when we get to the different milestones the restrictions get less and less."
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