After 71 years of continuous trading - more if you count its previous existence as the RSL Club - the Cootamundra Ex-Servicemen's Club closed its doors on Monday and employees have temporarily lost their jobs.
It's the same with the town's other clubs, pubs, churches, gyms, sit-down cafés and restaurants and most other venues.
People are hoping their jobs will be there for them again when conditions improve, but in Cootamundra hundreds are now applying for Centrelink unemployment benefits, if they can get onto the website.
In some cases employers who can do so will supplement Centrelink benefits with ex gratia payments, but reduced income will have a knock-on effect.
For example, there'll be reduced demand for child care services from parents who will now look after their children at home.
In the case of the Ex-Servicemen's Club, closure will be a significant hit to local charities.
In 2019 the Club donated nearly $44,000 to 48 charities but assistant manager Megan Sawyer said donations would no doubt be less in 2020.
"Plus there is free room hire that we give not-for-profits, and cash bingo run twice a month which generally raises $1,000 each one.
"It's going to impact a lot of people. It's not really until you sit down and think about it and - oh, yeah!"
LIBRARY CHANGES
The Council has closed the library, the indoor stadium, the visitor information centre and postponed the Cootamundra aerodrome events set for April and May.
Mayor Abb McAlister said the decision to scale back public access had not been made lightly, and would be partly offset by non-contact service.
"We will now offer a phone-in service where library members can phone in and have the option of either a take away service or home delivery service within the town boundaries," he said.
Patrons can phone 6940 2200 or email Cootamundra.Library@crgc.nsw.gov.au.
Council will redeploy staff to help with increased cleaning regimes across the region's public facilities and facility maintenance.
