Restrictions are lifting in NSW and Queensland, but it still won’t be enough to make many pub owners open their doors.

In NSW, from Friday, restaurants attached to hotels and clubs will be able to open but only for up to 10 customers at a time.

“The cost of reopening is inhibitive,” Good Beer Company owner John Azar told Ben Fordham.

The energy bills and staff expenses make it impractical to open for anything short of half their usual three or four hundred patrons, he said.

Anything less would be “losing money at the rate of knots”.

“It’s a great start, but I don’t think it helps the hotel and club industry overall.”

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Queenslanders will be able to get down to their local as of Saturday.

Restaurants, cafes, pubs, registered and licensed clubs, RSL clubs and hotels will be allowed to serve 10 patrons at any one time, but bars and gaming are still off limits.

Pubs in regional areas will be permitted twice as many patrons.

In Brisbane, Gambaro Group director Johnnie Gambaro will reopen two of his venues.

Mr Gambaro told Ben despite the restriction, it’s a good opportunity to reskill employees.

“We’re taking this as a positive move to reconnect back with the community that have been so supportive of us.”

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