Pubs billionaire Bruce Mathieson says a move by the nation’s second-largest hotels group, Australian Venue Co, to steer clear of Australia Day celebrations at its venues is stupid and appalling.

Mr Mathieson, whose family holds a 15 per cent stake in ASX-listed Endeavour Group, which runs Australia’s largest hotels group with 350 outlets, said not enough people were proud of their country and more should be done to celebrate it.