The hospitality industry wants the Government to move New Zealand out of the red traffic light setting before Easter .
After eight months in the red traffic light setting, bars and restaurants are calling on the government to put the country in orange.
Bedford Soda and Liquor Co-owner Matt Nicholls is "very hopeful" the government will put the country at orange on Wednesday as it has been a long time since the country was put into the red traffic light setting, making it difficult to serve patrons.
"In red a typical bar environment where you just walk up to the bar and grab yourself a drink, people haven't been able to do that for a really long time and a lot of bar models are designed so you do walk up to the bar and not provide table service."
Nicholls also told AM being in the red traffic light setting he had to spend more on labour costs to adhere to the rules.
"Fewer people, more labour costs for table service plus also administering checking passes and all the other requirements that have been placed on us."
COVID 19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins is set to review the country's traffic light settings on Wednesday afternoon.
If the country did go down to orange, with Easter just around the corner, trading laws on Good Friday and Easter Sunday would limit what the hospitality industry can do over the weekend.
Easter Trading Laws in New Zealand means on Good Friday and Easter Sunday only establishments serving food can open. Bars and nightclubs have to close at midnight on Thursday and Saturday.
"For bars and nightclubs who are there for the purpose of drinking, there are some pretty significant restrictions as far as what trade day can hope for on those days," Nicholls told AM on Wednesday.
AM co-host Ryan Bridge has started a petition to scrap the Easter trading laws for this year, since the Australian border has opened.
Nicholls said he is "totally on board with the idea," and that he will be the "first to sign the petition."
The Government's traffic light review will be live-streamed on Newshub.co.nz.
