The announcement of a five-day circuit breaker lockdown sent Bendigo's hospitality industry into a spin, but Ellis Nuttall and Rhianwen Seiter haven't known any different in their 12 months operating Ms Batterhams.
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The MacKenzie Street establishment has endured a tumultuous first year, having contended with three lockdowns, dining restrictions, event cancellations and new dining options.
The brother-sister duo said they're excited the end of lockdown has allowed them to celebrate their venue's first anniversary with customers this weekend.
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"We'd hoped to open again because we had live music and a photographer booked to capture all the festivities," Ms Seiter said.
Support from Bendigonians for the restaurant and bar's fare hasn't gone unnoticed, she said.
"Last Friday, the minute the Premier said we are locking down, we had people come out knowing we had product to sell.
"We were booked out and we had a lot of bookings on Valentine's Day, with many of those customers were happy to purchase our at-home option.
"I'm not sure if this happens in other areas, but I know Bendigo supports Bendigo very well and that's helped us stay positive."
Since opening last February, Ms Batterhams has only enjoyed one month where dining limits and mask mandates weren't imposed.
Ms Seiter said the support of a knowledgeable team, including Ms Nuttall, the venue's operations manager, has helped the venue pivot at short notice.
"I have a bit of an entrepreneurial background and when the first lockdown happened, I rolled in the whiteboard and said no idea is too silly," she said.
"Having a general perspective on things and an anything's possible mindset has helped us adapt."
A four-day celebration is planned at Ms Batterhams from Thursday to Sunday, including a cocktail of the day, which on Thursday is the nectarine daiquiri with a twist.
