Popular pub in hot water after throwing underage school formal after party
A popular city pub is in hot water, accused of hosting a school formal after party for underage children.
The Producers Hotel claims they were told the event was an 18th birthday party but soon realised that was not the case.
The Grenfell Street pub says it confiscated hundreds of drinks from about 400 underage students who descended on the venue on Saturday night.
When they realised the teenagers were there for the Pembroke School after party, they brought them in off the street and called police immediately.
“We were told we were hosting an 18th birthday party, and things didn't really go according to that plan unfortunately,” bar staff member Elouise Lowcock told 7 News.
“You could see that they had alcohol with them so it was then and there that our management decided to shut it down.”
The pub is now facing a fine in the tens of thousands of dollars for breaching liquor licensing laws.
Meanwhile the man responsible for organising the private event has now gone to ground, deleting his Facebook page.
Teenagers say they each paid him $50, totalling roughly $20,000.
The pub's owner has also tried to contact the event organiser but his phone's been disconnected.
They say they have little choice now but to wait for it to go to court, where they'll plead their case.
Pembroke’s principal said he's disappointed but stressed the event was organised independently of the school.
