The Sydney Morning Herald publishes allegations of exploitation of female staff at Merivale

This article discusses the topics of sexual harassment and assault. If this is causing problems for you or someone you know, see the list of support resources at the end of the article.

Today the Sydney Morning Herald published one investigation into Merivalethe Sydney-focused hospitality group that operates more than 70 restaurants, bars and pubs across the east coast.

Journalists Eryk Bagshaw and Bianca Hrovat spoke to four ex-employees at Level 6, Merivale’s exclusive members-only penthouse in the Ivy district, who allege there was a workplace where young women were exploited, and that staff were encouraged to participate drug use and sex with guests. A Merivale manager claims the venue is “one step away from a brothel”.

An ex-staffer talked about the group as a whole SMH: “They hire people very, very young. There are thousands of 18 to 21 year old girls who are young and naive and get sucked into Merivale.

Entry to Level 6 is reportedly $10,000 per year. Staff pour champagne and choose cigars, while a stripper pole stands in the middle of a sunken lounge area. There is a spa, terrace, double shower and private bar. CCTV reportedly only captures the poker table and bar.

Allegations from former Level 6 hosts include that they were pressured to drink with Merivale managers who were “drunk and high”, and that they struggled to say no when situations arose. “It was like a strip club where no one took off their clothes,” one claims, while another says it was “flirty,” “affectionate” and “convenient.” A Level 6 host claims a “manager” threw her on the couch and put his hand up her skirt. In a separate incident, a manager allegedly asked a host, “Why haven’t we ever fucked?”

A spokesperson for the group responded to the allegations in a statement on Tuesday, October 29: “Merivale categorically rejects the allegations regarding practices allegedly imposed on Level 6 employees or others, and any other Merivale location. All Merivale employees, including those at level 6, are treated with respect. The allegations made are completely inconsistent with our culture and policies and procedures.

“In all catering companies, including Merivale, incidents occur involving both customers and staff. This cannot be denied. However, Merivale will handle complaints made about such incidents in accordance with its policies and procedures, as well as its legal obligations.”

“The various incidents that occurred by the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) are largely historical and date back to 2011. Merivale takes these allegations of misconduct very seriously. Our approach has been to request sufficient detail from the Sydney Morning Herald in order to fully investigate, including by providing us with the names of the alleged perpetrators. That was not given to us.”

A separate room with the same layout as Level 6 reportedly functions as a “private party zone for Merivale manager and special guests”. There are allegations of people having sex, in the shower or on the sofa, when staff arrive to take or leave food and drink orders. Merivale stated that it has no record of these allegations.

While the alleged behavior is reported to have started and been actively promoted at Level 6, there are reports that it has trickled down through the rest of the Ivy District. At Felix, a French restaurant on the ground floor, a regular customer claims he was offered drugs by a ‘Merivale dealer manager’. The dealer was reportedly accompanied by two hosts, one of whom spent part of the meal on his lap. “You know it happens on Level 5, behind closed doors,” the regular said. “I think everyone always knew it was a boys’ club, but it permeates into all these other venues.” Merivale claims it is “demonstrably untrue” that it operates a boys’ club.

Kitchen teams are said to ‘joke’ about the ages of women dining with male managers. “They found another 20-year-old,” said one chef. “It was something that was joked about more than anything among the men in my kitchen.” Ex-employees claim that young women were picked from the queue for special treatment. Staff claim to be “terrified” of the group’s leaders.

“(We) regularly emphasize to our people that there will be no repercussions for speaking out about workplace behavior,” the group says. Merivale rejects “the allegations of any Merivale employee searching restaurants and bars to select customers for private parties hosted by older men, or for any other purpose.”

Merivale managers told the story SMH they knew of six CCTV blind spots in the Ivy District where they could allegedly let security beat people up, have sex and do drugs. Merivale says it is “simply not true” that there are blind spots on CCTV.

In response to the HeraldAs part of the investigation, Merivale has set up a staff complaints hotline and appointed Kate Eastman SC, a leading human rights and discrimination lawyer, to independently investigate the allegations. “We encourage those with information about the allegations to contact Ms Eastman SC via direct email, which can be done anonymously if necessary.”

Merivale is one of Australia’s most prominent hospitality groups, with bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs in a range of styles and locations. There are 81 locations listed on the Merivale website, 77 of which are in NSW.

“Its extensive portfolio of locations and significant workforce make Merivale one of the most supervised and regulated hospitality businesses in New South Wales,” the group’s statement continued. “The operational management of the venue is governed by regulator-approved mandatory management plans approved by the NSW Police, Liquor & Gaming NSW and the local government (council). All licensed locations are subject to strict and appropriately enforced regulatory protocols, regulations and laws, including regular audits, site inspections and assessments.

“We reiterate that we have extensive and rigorous training and systems in place to ensure a safe working environment for our team and our guests… There is no measure by which we can sensibly be described as a rogue hospitality operator, given the procedures, policies and the protocols in place to ensure safe business operations for our employees and our guests.”

Safe Work NSW is currently investigating the allegations against Merivale.

Have you been a victim of sexual harassment in a catering workplace or have you witnessed an incident, read activist Jamie Bucirde’s advice on navigating the situation.

If you would like to speak to someone about an experience you have had, or would like more information, call 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au.

You can also warn Flyer to misconduct of any kind in the hospitality industry via [email protected]. We can’t take action based on specific tips, but your valuable information could shape future reporting.