Multiple retail stores in the city have closed down temporarily due to COVID-19, despite no rules aimed at the sector.
Mathers, Sportsgirl, Rivers, Abela Vida, Sportscraftm, Sussan, Michael Hill, Crossroads, and Paul Harvey Otomery are just some of the stores who posted signs on their doors stating they are closed until further notice. Sam Rains, executive officer of Tamworth Business Chamber, said although most of the measures introduced by the government have not directly targeted the retail sector, it is still feeling the pinch. "We are certainly seeing it impacting everyone in the main street," he said. "It is a ghost town." Mr Rains said the business community understands and supports the strict rules issued by the country's leaders, but said there is no doubt it has impacted the city's stores. He added that the situation is changing hour by hour, but the chamber is aware that there will likley be further measures coming into place. "The NSW Government looks to be pushing for a full lockdown, but we are unsure what that looks like," he said. "At the end of the day, we just have to follow the rules." Mr Rains said the chamber is fielding a large volume of calls from business owners, and they are helping in whatever way they can. "We are having a meeting today with Col Murray, Kevin Anderson and Paul Bennett to see what we can do on a local level," he said. "It is a bit of a think tank, there are some ideas we would like to push, but there are restrictions on what we are asking for so we there will be a bit of a push and pull."