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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

PLACES of entertainment in Bulawayo are not closing shop but are taking precautionary measures such as limiting the number of people entering their establishments and have hand sanitisers at entrances as a way to minimise the risk of coronavirus. 

Bars and movie houses have come up with their own measures to comply with the Government directive of not having gatherings of more than 100 people as part of measures to reduce the risk of an outbreak of Covid-19. 

Nightspots around the city and movie houses all concurred that they would stay open and manage numbers of their patrons.

Manu Mahaso who manages Zarah Lounge, Crystal, Havanna, Cubanna and Cosmopolitan Night Club said: “We shall be managing the numbers of people who enter the bar. However, we really don’t get that much traffic these days because business is low. But in order to enhance the hygiene of the establishments we shall be having sanitisers as you enter, and in the toilets, there’ll be there and also as you go out. This is how we think we can minimise the risk.” 

Qhubani Moyo who runs The Vista at Pioneer House in Bulawayo said they cancelled a show as a Covid-19 precaution.

“We’ve cancelled the Judgement Yard Show that was supposed to be on April 3. For the regular days we shall sanitise patrons as they get in, managing our numbers and maintain the highest standard of hygiene that we’ve always done, in a manner that we don’t compromise our patrons. We’ll also encourage our patrons to stick to the framework of prevention as expounded by the Government,” said Moyo. 

Bekithemba Masuku who manages Pub Lagondola in Bulawayo which opens every day of the week, Cry Mantengwane and Phoenix Tshisanyama both in Gwanda said they will not defy the Government. 

“We can’t act ignorant as if it (Covid-19) won’t affect us. We won’t close our bars but we shall operate at not normal levels. This is the only way for us to comply and keep afloat. On issues to do with cleanliness we shall have sanitisers at the door at all our bars,” he said. 

At The Vibe, a popular night spot in Bulawayo, DJ Jayza who manages it said:

“Whatever they tell us to do we shall comply. If they say we should close the bar we shall. In the meantime, we have two options that we maintain less than 100 people in the bar or we close. As a way to minimise the risk we New Alabama, always packed on Sundays, will also be opened, but will manage numbers to under 100.

“We are going to manage our numbers. We’ve sanitisers already in the toilets but now at the entrances we shall also have sanitisers for our patrons,” said Kate Sithole who runs the establishment on Sunday. 

Some bar operators said in such crises, governments elsewhere bail out businesses. 

“Governments in other countries where the coronavirus has affected their businesses are giving them money for them to cope. Now what happens when ours calls for a shutdown, the BCC will still want their money, even Zesa although people are no longer coming to the bars,” said one proprietor. 

At the Ster Kinekor movie house at the Bulawayo Centre, a rule has been put in place that each person should leave a seat between when they are in the cinemas. 

“We’ve put a rule where there has to be open seats between customers, so that people don’t sit close to each other. The Government set the standard at gatherings of not more than 100 people. At such a time we aren’t getting that many people coming to the movies. At each entrance it’ll be mandatory for everyone to have their hands sanitised and also as they leave,” said one of the officials who preferred not to be named.