Covid Trading
Shindigs Roadmap to Reopening
FEBRUARY UPDATE - 18/02/2022
As per the NSW Health directive Face masks are still currently required to be worn by all customer over the age of 12 whilst in our store.
* Customers not wearing a mask are required to provide proof of a medical exemption for not wearing a mask to enter the store.
For your continued safety 'click and collect' orders can be placed online, balloon orders can be placed over the phone and contact free collection is available from outside our store.
JANUARY UPDATE - 4/01/2022
As per the NSW Health directive QR code check ins are mandatory and face masks are required to be worn by all customer over the age of 12 whilst in our store.
* Customers not wearing a mask are required to provide proof of a medical exemption for not wearing a mask to enter the store.
For your continued safety 'click and collect' orders can be placed online, balloon orders can be placed over the phone and contact free collection is available from outside our store.
DECEMBER UPDATE - 15/12/21
For the continued safety of our staff and customers it is a condition of entry to our Lambton store and warehouse that all customers must QR code check in, demonstrate proof of double vaccination status and wear a mask.
These conditions of entry will be regularly reviewed however the recent surge in COVID numbers in the Hunter New England region means that they will be maintained for the forseeable future. We will update our website and store entrance signage when these conditions of entry change.
Customers who are not able to meet the above conditions of entry can continue to place click and collect orders or place balloon orders over the phone for contactless collection (as per the details below).
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY : EXEMPTIONS
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Unvaccinated customers who provide proof of a medical exemption for not being vaccinated will be allowed to enter the store provided they are wearing a mask.
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Customers not wearing a mask are required to provide proof of a medical exemption for not wearing a mask to enter the store.
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Customers over the age of 12 are required to wear a mask.
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Customers under the age of 12 are not required to be vaccinated or wear a mask, though it would be greatly appreciated if masks were worn.
NOVEMBER UPDATE
OUR WAREHOUSE IN LAMBTON
RE OPENS* ON
THURSDAY 4TH NOVEMBER
*As per the NSW Health order only customers that demonstrate their Covid 19 double vaccination status are permitted to enter our store.
DOUBLE VACCINATED CUSTOMER SHOPPING OPTIONS
- In store browsing, balloon ordering and in store collection and purchasing
- Online ordering for instore collection or postal delivery
SINGLE DOSE & UNVACCINATED CUSTOMER SHOPPING OPTIONS
- Order online and choose pick up for our contact free collection or have everything delivered straight to your door
- Order balloons over the phone for contact free collection
OCTOBER UPDATE
WE ARE ONLY OPEN FOR PRODUCT ORDERS PLACED VIA OUR ONLINE STORE & BALLOON OR HELIUM ORDERS PLACED OVER THE PHONE IN ADVANCE
ONLINE ORDERS – PICKUP IN STORE (www.shindigs.com.au)
- We aim to have the majority of online orders that are placed between 9am – 3pm, Monday to Friday ready within 1-4* hours from the time the order is placed, though on occasions it may take a little longer.
- Orders placed outside of the times stated above will not be ready until the next day.
- You will receive an email/text confirming when your order is ready for collection.
- Please do not arrive to collect your online order without first receiving this email of confirmation as we will need to ask you to come back when your order is ready.
- When you arrive please call the store on 4950 9561 and tell us the last name on the order
- We will then ask you to confirm the first name and address
- A staff member will then bring the order to the collection table outside our doors.
BALLOON OR HELIUM ORDERS PLACED OVER THE PHONE IN ADVANCE (ph 02 4950 9561 – choose option 2)
- Balloon orders and payment must be placed over the phone in advance of when required. An agreed collection time will be given at the time the order is placed.
- Due to the large volume of orders that we are currently handling we cannot guarantee to do balloons for you on the spot should you arrive at the warehouse without placing your order in advance.
- We cannot guarantee that we will be able to help you if you arrive at the store without placing your order (as above) in advance.
- When you arrive please call the store on 4950 9561 and tell us the last name on the order.
- We will then give you further instructions over the phone on how to safely collect and transport your balloons.
We hope to re-open our doors to the public in early November. Until then we are trading by the above two methods.
We appreciate your kindness and cooperation whilst our staff navigate this difficult time.
Thank you for shopping local with Shindigs.
For the month of October we will continue to offer our
“Click & Collect” and “Phone order” model of business only.
We plan on re-opening for walk-in trade in early November.
The decision to continue with “Click and Collect” and “Phone orders” only has been a very difficult one to make, especially with Halloween & October being our biggest month of the year. It is our favourite season and the buzz instore is totally electric. We know many customers will be disappointed, however we have made the decision for the following reasons.
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The COVID double vaccination rates in the Hunter are considerably lower than the state average and we do not believe it is safe to reopen until such time as vaccination rates in the Hunter are higher. Novacastrians did not have the access to vaccines that many of other areas of the state had, so we just need a little time to catch up.
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All of our staff will be double vaxxed by late October. Once again, vaccination supply in the Hunter made this tricky and we think it important for all of our staff to be double vaccinated before welcoming customers back instore.
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COVID cases in the Hunter are expected to continue to rise as restrictions ease. We did not want to risk having COVID cases in-store which might lead to a significant portion of our staff having to isolate for 7-14 days. This could mean that there would be very few (if any staff) left to operate our business in any form. This would be terrible at this time of year.
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Given the very high demand for our party products as restrictions start to ease, we did not feel it was responsible having hundreds of customers through the store every day, whilst COVID cases and double vaccination rates are where they are. We believe the “Click and Collect” model is a much safer way to proceed -- for both our customers and staff.
We are aware this decision may come as a surprise and disappointment to some customers and if this is the case, we are sorry. Hopefully you understand the reasons behind this and know we are hoping to welcome customers back into store asap. As we progress through October, we will update all customers about our re-opening in November.
Our staff have done an amazing job operating our “Click and Collect” and “Phone sales” business during the most recent COVID lockdown. We will continue to offer our super fast, super efficient and super safe way for customers to purchase exactly what they need at Shindigs. As always if you need help or advice, this is only a phone call, email or Facebook message away.
