RESTAURANT ‘BREWHAHA’
A GOLD Coast eatery is offering a $2000 reward to find the culprit of a neighbourhood smear campaign.
The owners of Brewed Addictions at Paradise Point say they are tired of a nasty letterbox drop against their business and want to expose the anonymous person behind it.
Dozens of leaflets have appeared under business doors and in letterboxes claiming the restaurant is planning to operate without a liquor licence and beyond the designated opening hours.
The office of Liquor and Gaming told the Bulletin the required licensing was in place.
THE owners of a Gold Coast restaurant are offering a $2000 reward to find the culprit behind a neighbourhood smear campaign.
Daniel Klaus and Leigh Sanders, the owner and general manager of Paradise Point eatery Brewed Addictions, say they are tired of a nasty letterbox drop against their business and want to expose the anonymous person behind it.
Brewed Addictions has been a cafe in Marina Promenade, Paradise Point, for more than five years.
It plans to open a restaurant, Brewed Brewery, next door next week.
Dozens of leaflets have appeared under business doors and in letterboxes claiming the restaurant is planning to operate without a liquor licence and beyond the designated opening hours.
Employees say the cafe has also received a number of prank phone calls.
“This is for your information as it (sic) generally felt this brewer would be taking trade from establishments properly licensed,” the letter read.
However, the office of Liquor and Gaming told the Bulletin the required licensing was in place.
Mr Sanders said he was disappointed by the campaign.
“It is called Brewed Brewery, but that is just the name of the restaurant. We won’t actually be a brewery,” Mr Sanders said.
“We started getting phone calls and someone has been dropping flyers all over residential places because of this letter.
“There has been some backlash. It is really unfair and disappointing. It is hard enough running a hospitality business on the Gold Coast.
“We are not a pub, definitely have not attempted to receive any licence to operate as anything other than a restaurant and bar.
“We’ve already operated our cafe Brewed Addictions here for years. We are not above the law and always abide by liquor licensing rules.”
Mr Sanders said legal action would be taken if the culprit was found.
“There is not anything else you could really do, but this does affect our business,’’ he said.
“We have the most amazing support from our locals. We have actually seen a lot jump to our defence.”
Despite the controversy, the Brewed Brewery restaurant is scheduled to open on September 28.
“There are some great chefs coming on board where we will be serving things like ribs, chicken wings, a few funky cocktails and some pretty over-the-top desserts,” he said.
“We have also been very committed to local producers and have designated many of our 22 taps to feature the micro breweries on the Gold Coast as part of our keg room.
“We have done so many things to try to give back – we hire local.
“This campaign is not going to discourage us.”