Most businesses are now allowed to open but under strict guidelines, including capacity limits and ensuring customers are not from metropolitan Melbourne.
Maree Wilcock owns Gem Hair for Men, Gordon’s Hair Room and High St Barber.
She said a man entered Gem Hair on Saturday, October 24 with a boy, but with the shop already at the legal capacity, she asked the man to wait outside until a spot became available.
“He said ‘I’m not f***ing waiting out here with a f***ing two-year-old’, and picked up the kid and took off,” Ms Wilcock said.
Although it was a rainy day, she said it wasn’t raining at the time of the incident.
“We’re working to the best of our ability to what we’re allowed in the building,” she said.
“If we get overloaded then we get fined. I’m sure the man didn’t want to pay the fine if I let him in the door.”
Ms Wilcock said she just felt sorry for the boy.
“They were probably all geared up to get the little one’s haircut, and then he couldn’t be patient enough to wait outside for a few minutes,” she said.
Ms Wilcock said people just needed to be patient.
“They just think they can come in like they used to but it’s totally different since COVID-19,” she said.
“We’ve just got to follow the rules.”
Echuca Moama Business and Trades Association president Daniel Mackrell said he’d only heard of two other incidents in town where businesses had trouble with customers over COVID-19 restrictions.
He said it was unclear whether local community members were the issue.
“All businesses are trying to do their best, we just need to be mindful that people are in a stressful situation,” Mr Mackrell said.
“There will always be a few people who will try to flout the rules but the community in general are embracing the rules and regulations.”
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