This article discusses the topics of sexual harassment and assault. If this raises issues for you or someone you know, please see the list of support resources at the end of the article.
Today the ABC published a report on Merivale, the Sydney-based hospitality giant that operates about 80 restaurants, pubs and bars on the east coast.
ABC journalists Ninah Kopel and Adelaide Miller spoke to patrons and “dozens” of former staff as part of their investigation. Their story alleges male staff members putting female patrons in unsafe environments, management teams failing to adequately address complaints and a culture that “sexualises young female staff” and encourages drug use at work. Bar staff were reportedly not “allowed to say no” to customers behaving inappropriately and were directed to do shots with such customers to “distract them and get more money from them”.
One staff member at Sydney cocktail bar Hemmesphere told the ABC she was assaulted by two male customers, who grabbed her around the waist and tried to kiss her. She approached her manager and described the men’s behaviour as “really rapey”. She alleges her manager argued with her use of language, saying, “rapey’s a really strong term to use”, before ultimately becoming frustrated with the conversation and walking away. The men were reportedly allowed to stay in the bar. Merivale told the ABC it had insufficient information to respond, and required written consent from former employees to respond to any questions.
A former employee of Coogee Pavilion also alleges she was drugged and raped by a colleague at his home, and that the company failed to take appropriate action.
Jess Helinski, a 22-year-old patron at Merivale night club Ivy, says staff took her and a friend into a back-of-house area before they were shown to a VIP section behind the DJ booth. Helinski says she was seated next to a male customer, who asked if she was a sex worker. When she questioned what he meant, the customer said, “The man you were just with told us that you’re sex workers and you’re going to spend the night with us.”
The ABC reports that Merivale “declined to provide on-the-record responses” to Helinski’s allegations, but that the group undertook an internal investigation. A manager reportedly emailed Helinski afterwards, stating “no information to support the claims has been uncovered”. NSW Police is investigating the incident.
Merivale is one of Australia’s most prominent hospitality groups, with bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs spanning a range of styles and locations. There are 81 venues listed on the Merivale website, with 77 of them in NSW. In recent years, the Sydney-centric group has made moves to expand its footprint in Victoria, buying two properties in 2021 and opening one restaurant the following year.
The ABC’s report comes soon after the Sydney Morning Herald’s Swillhouse exposé, which detailed similar allegations: a boys’ club mentality that failed to adequately support staff, especially women, when faced with complaints of unsafe work environments and sexual misconduct.
The ABC is continuing to investigate the hospitality industry. If you wish to share a story, contact ABC journalist Adelaide Miller at miller.adelaide@proton.me.
Broadsheet has contacted Merivale for comment.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual harassment in a hospitality workplace or witnessed an incident, read activist Jamie Bucirde’s advice on navigating the situation.
If you would like to speak with someone about an experience you have had, or would like more information, please call 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au.
You can also alert Broadsheet to misbehaviour of any kind in the hospitality industry via report@broadsheet.com.au. We cannot act on specific tips, but your valuable information may inform future coverage.
