While Brisbane’s lockdown is currently slated for just three days, a prominent restaurateur said the hospitality industry will suffer long after restrictions are lifted.

Nick Rosato, who co-owns popular Brisbane restaurants Madame Wu and Chu the Phat, told Neil Breen the previous snap lockdown was a brutal blow to the industry.

“The flow-on effect from this is not three days,” he said.

“The last time we did the three-day lockdown, it took two weeks for confidence to come back into the community to go back out.”

With hospitality businesses forced to close on less than a days’ notice, owners are left with no income to pay their fixed costs.

“All the casual staff, no money and you’ve got landlords that are still charging rent for days.

“You think of all those smaller businesses, mums and dads. The power bill’s still coming in, the internet, everything they need that’s a fixed cost, and no income.”

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Image: Getty