COVID-19 Update

How Woodgrove is responding to the COVID-19 situation.

As we continue to navigate this quickly shifting COVID-19 period, we remain committed to keeping our community informed and providing a safe environment.

Published 15 March

COVID-19 directives - what they mean for Woodgrove Shopping Centre

From Monday 9 November there will be changes at Woodgrove as restrictions are eased across Metropolitan Melbourne.

The Victorian Government has announced a further easing of restrictions, which have a direct impact on the way Woodgrove operates. We are pleased to be able to begin to welcome back permitted retailers from Monday 9 November.

At this stage, the following goods and services are permitted to reopen, operating in strict adherence to their COVIDSafe plans and density requirements.

Our cinema is reopening on Thursday 12 November, admitting 20 customers per movie session, subject to a number of restrictions.

Restrictions on our food and drink retailers has eased further:
- Indoor spaces can now welcome up to 40 patrons, subject to 4sqm per person. The cap of 10 people per indoor space remains.
- Outdoor spaces can now welcome up to 70 patrons, subject to 2sqm per person. The cap of 10 people per group remains for outdoor spaces.

These changes are in addition to those changes announced on Wednesday 28 October and from when the following goods and services have been open and trading, operating in strict adherence to their COVIDSafe plans and density requirements.

Supermarkets and grocery shops, including all food and liquor shops
Convenience stores and newsagents
Pharmacies
Medical centres for appointments that cannot be undertaken virtually
Retailers working onsite for the purposes of fulfilling online orders
Restaurants and cafes for delivery and contactless takeaway only
Bank branches
Medicare and/or Centrelink
Locksmiths
Laundry and dry cleaners
Telecommunication services
Maternity supplies
Post offices
Fuel retailing
Hardware, building and garden supplies retailing for tradespeople
Specialist stationery services for business use
Disability and health equipment, mobility services
Security services
Building maintenance, cleaning
Road transport (i.e. freight and couriers)
Food and drink retailers for seated indoor and outdoor customers, subject to a number of restrictions.

For further detail on what businesses can trade during easing restrictions, visit https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorias-restriction-levels-covid-19.

Keeping you safe at Woodgrove this Christmas

In line with this commitment, we continue to maintain a range of precautionary measures to help keep our community safe this Christmas.

These include:

A strengthened focus on disinfecting commonly touch areas.
Positioning of hand sanitiser stations at key points throughout the Centre
Installation of signage and floor decals across parts of the Centre, reminding our community to keep 1.5 metres between themselves and others at all times, and to always wear their mask while in the Centre

In addition to these longstanding measures, this Christmas we're also introducing some new safety initiatives. These include:

Contactless wayfinding, allowing you to scan a QR code on your mobile to find any store in the Centre
Social Distancing Ambassadors located throughout the Centre, to ensure our community is adhering to social distancing directives
An Order and Collect service, allowing you to order from your preferred Woodgrove stores and have your order delivered directly to your car. Click here to find out more.
Extended pre-Christmas trading hours, giving you longer to shop.

How you can help

We'll be doing all we can to keep our community safe this Christmas, but we also need your help. We ask that you continue to play your role in keeping our community safe.

This means:

Social distancing - always keep at least 1.5 metre between yourself and others
Maintain personal hygiene by regularly washing your hands and using the sanitiser stations located throughout the Centre for your convenience
Wear a face mask, unless you have a valid reason not to, and follow all government directives and advice
Handle illness safely by coughing into your elbow or a tissue, and most importantly, stay at home if you're feeling unwell.

Social Distancing Ambassadors

We're pleased to be able to welcome specially selected Social Distancing Ambassadors to Woodgrove. These Ambassadors will roam our malls and provide a reminder of the need keep a 1.5 metre distance from others.

Our dedicated Ambassadors, dressed in an easily identifiable uniform, are trained to offer friendly and approachable direction to both customers and retailers around correct social distancing and responsible queuing. By fielding questions and reminding visitors to the Centre to maintain social distancing, these roving Ambassadors will relieve pressure in our malls.

Our security, cleaning and customer service staff will also take on the responsibility of dispensing social distancing advice to ensure maximum coverage across the Centre.

Mandatory Face Masks

If you choose to visit us during this time, please remember that you must wear a face covering at all times when visiting our Centre, unless:

You are under 12
You have a medical condition that prohibits the wearing of a face covering
It’s not practical
For professional reasons.

To help keep our entire community safe, please be sure to bring an appropriate face covering with you when you next visit Woodgrove.

We have implemented a number of measures to assist us and our community in adhering to this directive, including:

All centre staff and contractors will be required to wear face coverings while at work, unless they have a valid reason not to.
Signage that clearly reminds our community they must adhere to the government mandate and not enter the Centre without a face covering unless they are exempt.
Close work with local police in monitoring our community’s adherence to this new directive, generally reminding our community of this new directive and asking those that aren’t wearing face coverings, without a valid reason, to leave the centre

Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding as we all adjust to these rigorous new measures and navigate the changes together with kindness and compassion.

Where to buy a face mask at Woodgrove

The retailers listed below stock face masks, however, please note stock availability is not guaranteed due to the current high demand. We recommend contacting the store before you visit to check whether they have face masks in stock.

Centre Trading Hours

While we are continuing to assess the evolving situation, and are prepared to respond if necessary, Woodgrove trading hours are as follows:

Monday: 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday: 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday: 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday: 9am - 9:00pm
Friday: 9am - 9:00pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Customer Service Desk

Our Customer Service Desk located opposite Michael Hill, is open to assist with information on services, gift card purchases and retailer details. Staffed hours are as follows:

Monday - Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Sunday: 10am - 5pm

We know that 2020 has been a challenging year for many of us. While this year we face a different Christmas to the one we're all used to, please be assured that our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our customers, staff and retailers remains our steadfast priority.

Plan your visit this Christmas

To help you stay safe this Christmas, we strongly encourage you to plan your trip in advance and not linger unnecessarily in the Centre:

Avoid visiting the Centre at peak times such as during the middle of the day from Thursday to Sunday
Check store trading hours and individual conditions of entry in advance
Take advantage of our Order and Collect service, which allows you to order from your preferred Woodgrove stores and have your order delivered directly to your car. Click here to find out more.