Popular Aussie pub divides with new dress code rules: 'No effort, no entry'
The 'premium' venue has put a stop to a range of clothing items which were offending other patrons.
A popular venue in Queensland's Hervey Bay has ruffled some feathers this week after introducing a strict new dress code for its patrons. But despite some heated backlash from a handful of frustrated locals, staff at The Beach House Hotel told Yahoo News Australia the policy is here to stay.
The premium waterside bar and bistro, located on the busy esplanade, announced the new dress standard in a post on Facebook on Thursday prompting a flurry of responses from angry customers. Many disagreed with the new "no effort, no entry" policy with some attire being banned for good.
"We require a neat, fashionable but casual style of dress at all times in the venue," the business states, as a new condition of entry. "We do require a higher standard of dress (EFFORT) after these times or ENTRY will not be granted".
Visitors wearing lingerie will not be accepted
This means from 8pm the hotel will not allow workwear of any kind, dirty or stained clothes and or beach-appropriate clothing such as tank tops or thongs. Additionally, those wearing tracksuits, fleeced hoods and hats will also be turned away. But the biggest issue upsetting many patrons and staff was lingerie being worn as outerwear, particularly by younger patrons, the venue's marketing manager Gayel McNair told Yahoo.
"We are a premium hotel and a family hotel and the wearing of lingerie, I believe, was offending some members of the community. We really want our community and our visitors to Hervey Bay to love the Beach House and feel comfortable here and [to have] an amazing experience," she said.
'Strict' dress policy slammed on Facebook
Ms McNair said the only negativity they've received so far has been on Facebook where dozens slammed the new dress rules in the post's comments. "We've not had any negativity whatsoever coming through the hotel," she said.
"I was planning on coming down on my birthday with probably well over 20 people dressed up. It will 100% be all effort but these rules may mean we go elsewhere," one person wrote in response to the Facebook post. "I've just moved to Melbourne, more strict than most venues down here," said another. While a third mocked: "Bit late for April fools don't you think?"
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Overall, Ms McNair said the venue has had "some wonderful responses" and despite the few "keyboard warriors" having their say, staff feel they've "done the right thing".
"I know there were quite a few things in that new dress code that may have seemed quite shocking and that we were policing what people wear, but it's not about that," she said. "We're just trying to make the hotel an amazing place to visit."
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