Song Kitchen and Bar axes Melbourne Cup lunch over racehorse reports
It is said to be the race that stops a nation. But it isn’t going to stop one Sydney hotel after the manager and staff made a late call to scrap a race day lunch.
Wentworth Courier
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A restaurant has cancelled its $100-a-head Melbourne Cup lunch following recent reports into treatment of horses in the racing industry.
The general manager of Sydney’s Song Hotel, Jon Ackary, said he lost the appetite to host the event and has informed diners of the cancellation.
He said he made the decision following recent ABC reports regarding the treatment of former racehorses.
The Song Kitchen and Bar, on Wentworth Ave near Hyde Park, expected up to 60 diners for a set lunch on Tuesday but has now refunded deposits.
“I wasn’t trying to make a political statement but many staff were quite upset about the story,” he said.
“When I asked them whether they wanted to go ahead, no one felt like celebrating.”
The venue is a profit-for-purpose businesses for women’s support and advocacy organisation YWCA Australia.
Revenue raised through the hotel and its catering arm is reinvested in the YWCA’s community programs.
YWCA Chief Executive Officer Michelle Phillips said she supported the decision.
“I’m proud to stand by the decision of our Song Kitchen and Bar to step away from the event promoting the Melbourne Cup,” Ms Phillips said.
Mr Ackary said while he welcomed the Victorian Racing Commission’s initiative to give 10 per cent of ticket sales and 5 per cent of membership sales to a new equine fund, the Song Kitchen and Bar would not go ahead with the lunch.
“It’s not something every business could do but it’s a decision we stand by,” he said.
An ABC documentary from earlier this month created headlines for showing former racehorses being killed in abattoirs.
In recent days Racing Victoria announced it will now send vets to Victorian farms to euthanase retired racehorses to save them from being killed in abattoirs and knackeries.
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