For the first time in four months, Sydney's circus-themed bar is set to open on Monday, with new staff being trained and arcade machines being serviced, polished, and primed.
Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, which included luminous bumper cars, ten-pin bowling, and neon flashing vintage arcade and virtual reality games, has been closed since Sydney's lockdown on June 26, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
The lockdown has been particularly difficult for Assistant Venue Manager Georgia Vaughan, as she was forced to stay at home for several months without knowing when she would be able to return to her position. She believes, though, that everything is behind her now.
"It really made it feel real when I walked into the venue for the first time and turned on all the machinery," Vaughan said, speaking to Reuters from inside the venue in the inner Sydney neighborhood of Alexandria.
"Obviously, when the lights are turned out in the circus, it means that we're about to close up, so turning the lights back on for the first time after four months was a wonderful experience,"
Sydney was re-opened on October 11 after more than 100 days of lockdown, and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, which includes a restaurant and bar, will be allowed to reopen on November 1 under hospitality norms.
Despite widespread labor shortages in the city, Archie Brothers was able to fill positions even when the store was closed. Vaughan explained that supervisors took the trainees on a tour of their new big-top playground this past week.
Technicians were also on hand to assist with the preparations for the reopening of the arcade machines.
Currently, Vaughan is having all of his team members report to the facility in separate groups in order to begin retraining in preparation for its upcoming opening.
"It's just a matter of making sure everyone has received their refresher training so that when we open on Monday, we'll be prepared," Vaughan added.
In response to a third wave of infections fueled by the extremely contagious Delta variant that swept fast across Australia's southeast, the country has been gradually loosening stringent restrictions in Sydney, helped along by greater vaccination levels.
