Cafe to close amid ‘rift’ on vaccinations

A Central Otago cafe once voted the most popular in the region will close its doors because the owners and most of the staff are not vaccinated against Covid-19.

Tarras Country Cafe owners Emily and Peter Todd said they had chosen to close the doors tomorrow before the Government’s traffic light system came into effect on Friday.

The couple were not vaccinated, nor were eight staff, Emily Todd said.

‘‘I actually feel a lot better now because I have stood up for myself and for my staff, who I would have had to fire. I only have two full-time double-vaccinated staff and I have 10 on the books.

‘‘It has caused a rift between my staff as well, because some are very pro and some are very against.’’

Todd announced in a Facebook post on Sunday night that the cafe would close for the foreseeable future.

‘‘I cannot and will not run my business when I have to discriminate against who I can and can’t employ, and who I can and can’t let in my doors.’’

The business was named Central Otago’s People’s Choice cafe in 2020, and is the only stop on the 112-kilometre drive between Omarama and Cromwell on State Highway 8.