HUNTER residents have been urged to support small businesses as local operators reel from restrictions tied to Sydney's lockdown.
Award winning barber Derek McFadden opened Allan's Marketown Barbershop on July 1 last year and said business has dropped by about 70 per cent since June 26, when the state government made masks compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings and extended stay-at-home orders to the entire Greater Sydney region, including the Central Coast.
"We're just on our knees, small businesses," he said.
"After the last 12 months I thought we were getting out of the woods, but then they've hit the panic button again.
"I don't know how long small businesses can keep open. It's mostly retail, hospitality, the service industry that get really affected.
"Small businesses really need your help, we need the community to put your mask on and come and get a haircut in a safe environment."
Mr McFadden said he didn't oppose wearing masks, but the government could have made them mandatory in Greater Sydney only.
"I just feel personally it's a bit of fear mongering going on," he said.
"People are scared, they're anxious, they don't want to leave the house - we've had a couple of cases on the Central Coast but that's all gone now, we haven't had one case up here in Newcastle [since August]. Why are we being punished for doing the right thing when there's no cases?
"The Central Coast is an hour and a half away... this is what the contact tracing is all about.
"Everyone is doing the right thing and if there were cases everywhere we'd obviously be doing the right thing."
He said there were also inconsistencies in applying the rule, with customers in restaurants and bars allowed to take masks off for an unlimited period of time while eating and drinking. Mr McFadden's business is open seven days and employs three other staff.
He said he had "not received one cent" in financial assistance such as JobKeeper and it was unclear if he'd be able to apply for the new small business support grant.
"I'm using my house like an ATM to keep the business afloat," he said.
"You can keep going ... but eventually the well runs dry."
