Balgownie Estate Bendigo event manager Lucy Everitt said at least 15 people came to the venue who then had to be asked to leave.

"Staff turned away six or seven carloads full of people," she said.

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"We would love to have those people out here, especially Melbourne people, but we are the ones who get the fines.

"A lot of people in Melbourne are careless about that and don't think about the businesses they're going to, which is quite sad in a way.

"We would love to have them here but we can't."

Businesses in regional Victoria have been without Melbourne customers for almost two weeks after the state's sixth lockdown started on August 6.

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While regional Victoria's restrictions have since eased, premier Daniel Andrews announced people in metropolitan Melbourne were to adhere to stricture lockdown rules, including a 9pm to 5pm curfew as of 11.59pm on Monday night.

Ms Everitt said the past few weeks without city customers had really hurt the business.

"(We) have accommodation on site, so we have lost business through not having Melbourne people on site," she said

"The restaurant is crippled (by that) and the cellar door. The full operation tends to suffer.

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"Previously in lockdowns, regional people have been able to support other regional towns - it was evident that was happening - but with the lack of certainty, we can see that's not happening."

Ms Everitt said while she hadn't experienced it herself, some staff members had been subject to backlash after asking to check identification of customers.

"From speaking to staff, it's a complete frustration to be put in that position," she said.

"We don't want our front-of-house staff to have to become security or law enforcement. People can be quite unkind or not understanding."

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She said as time had gone on, staff and customers had come around to the idea of the checks.

"I had people from Geelong who thanked me for asking as they had been to other places, not around here, where they were not asked for identification," she said.

"Staff are really good and have been patient and stoic because it is hard, especially for younger staff, to ask for identification but it has become the norm.

"It was intimidating the first few times around but I guess it is a matter of becoming a bit more confident in asking questions."

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Ms Everitt said the business was taking every precaution they could but people still front up to the winery without a booking.

"What we are doing is calling all booked guests and letting them know prior to booking that they need identification proving their address. All our bookings are pre-warned," she said.

"The people trying to get through don't have a booking and are hoping for the best."

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