The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘Everything is great’ — no hard feelings over boozy Angus awards
ALTERCATION: Bust-up was a storm in a teacup insists pub manager
One of the pubs involved in an Angus awards ceremony incident has insisted there was “no harm done” and no ill will over another pub’s podium outburst.
The black-tie Angus Business Awards event welcomed local businesses to the Carnoustie Golf Hotel on Sunday.
Guests enjoyed a drinks reception before the awards, in which Arbroath pubs the Westport Bar and the Anchor Bar were both nominated for best licensed premises.
But a Westport staff member collected the award with a four-letter outburst at the Anchor.
Police were later called by the hotel after an altercation at the Anchor table between a staff member and the owner’s partner, who fell off his chair.
But Simone Lavery has insisted that both pubs depend on each other for support, that the “silly” comment was not taken to heart, and the incident at her table was only a single push.
Ms Lavery, 35, said she had since been in touch with the Westport’s licensee and, while the event saw a couple of unfortunate incidents, there was “no harm, no foul”.
“I was not involved but take full responsibility for what happened at our table,” said the Anchor’s manager.
“What happened that night is not a true representation of my staff.
“And it’s a shame the Westport member of staff had a bit too much to drink and said that on the microphone.
“I’ve had a message from the licensee and everything is great between us.
“There are a number of pubs in the street that depend on selling alcohol, and we have got to depend on each other for trade.”
Eyewitnesses said one man was bleeding from the head but Ms Lavery insisted there was no real harm done.
“It was a storm in a teacup and there was no need for the police to be there,” she said.
“They even gave some of us a lift back home because we had been split up.”