If you are from the St. Albans and surrounding suburbs you may be aware there have been ongoing issues with a particular group of people (it is sad really because I work with some of the finest and have friends if this nationality).

Unfortunately, there is the minority that are getting around causing trouble not only at the hotel but right across St. Albans including but not limited to local business and the local football ground (Errington Reserve).

The incident referred to in my post, a staff member had received threats and unsure if they or another staff member called the police, but the result was no one was asked to leave and staff now must be escorted from the venue to ensure they are not followed.

This group is harassing and intimidating not only the regulars that attend the venue but some of the elderly that might come in for a bit of a gamble on the machines in the Pokies section or a Punt in the TAB section. The intimidation ranges from then demanding you buy drinks for them or give them cigarettes, so far as to not being able to use the toilet facilities due to be blocked in for intimidation reasons and should you refuse, they are playing the ‘racist’ card to antagonise further.

Police are giving the impression they don’t care and taken little to no action. The venues hands are tied by head office and the lack of security available at the venue to prevent such things.

This is not the first and likely won’t be the last time it has happened. With the most recent being Thursday night where a staff member had broken glasses thrown at them for asking the group to leave. Or Friday night when there was about 20-30 of them through the venue intimidating and starting fights without cause from what I have understood. And again, I do not deny the venue should be trying to do more.

No one is here to be a Karen or Kevin but simply raise awareness in the community and hope it reaches the right people to help in doing something about it.

However, with the power of social media now, hopefully this will put some pressure on head office, ALH and Victoria Police and we may start seeing some security/changes at the venue.