Carltons Mackay and Andergrove Tavern internal investigation over break up party

A popular tavern has severed ties with a regional rugby league club over alleged bad behaviour during a break up party. But the club has hit back at the claims.

A popular Mackay pub has chosen to sever ties with a regional rugby league club over alleged bad behaviour during a break up party.

A leaked email has revealed how alleged bad behaviour during a footy break up party has caused a popular Mackay venue to sever ties with one of the region’s rugby league clubs.

However the club’s chairman has hit back at the claims as completely untrue.

Carltons Mackay held their end of season break up party at the Andergrove Tavern on September 4 and alleged behaviour prompted a member of the venue’s management team to send an email calling for ties to be severed.

“We were informed that there would be 50-70 people and as such did not have enough staff or security for the 200+ people that showed up,” the email, sighted by this publication, read.

A popular Mackay pub has chosen to sever ties with a regional rugby league club over alleged bad behaviour during a break up party.

“There were numerous instances where (people) were behaving in a manner which we do not accept in our venue.”

The email goes on to list a number of allegations, including some of which it is understood were exaggerated, before ending with: “The level of disrespect... is unmeasurable.”

As a result of the party the letter said the venue should stop its sponsorship with the club.

Paul Berglund, area manager for Redcape Hotel Group which oversees The Grove, told the Daily Mercury there was “zero tolerance for any behaviour that puts our team or our customers in harm’s way or which hampers our responsibility to operate as a safe venue for the community”.

“Unfortunately there was unacceptable behaviour at the venue recently and we have notified police,” Mr Berglund said.

“The conduct of some individuals is not aligned to the values of our organisation and not something we tolerate in our venue.

“We do not wish to comment further at this time.”

Carltons Senior Rugby League chairman Beau Hargrave told this publication there was currently an internal investigation into the allegations, adding the claims were “nowhere near correct”.

Andergrove Tavern. Picture: Tony Martin / Daily Mercury

Mr Hargrave said it had been a shock to receive the complaint.

He said the football club had 100 active members and not all of the membership had attended the break up party.

A spokeswoman for Queensland Police said officers responded to reports of public nuisance at Andergrove Tavern just before 10pm on September 4 involving two 19-year-old women.

It is unknown if these women were linked to allegations of bad behaviour within Mackay Carlton’s break up party. Investigations are ongoing.

Rugby League Mackay and District confirmed the organisation was aware of the matter and was “in the process of reviewing the information we have”.

“At this point we are not in a position to comment,” an RLMD spokesman said.