Hideaway Kitchen and Bar owner Scott Imlach says straff are traumatised after watching patrons fall through window

The owner of a Gold Coast venue is questioning hospitality while his builder is ‘incredulous’ after weekend carnage. Find out how repairs are going.

A Gold Coast venue owner where patrons crashed through a window, plummeting metres to the ground, says it’s the kind of thing that “makes you question staying in hospitality”.

Hideaway Kitchen and Bar owner Scott Imlach said it will cost thousands to fix the damage at his Broadbeach hotspot after multiple people fell two metres-plus through a window.

Emergency services raced to the Gold Coast Highway address about 9.20pm on Saturday.

It’s understood a fight broke out before the patrons crashed through the glass, stunning fellow diners.

It has left his builder incredulous that people could break the thick glass and Mr Imlach questioning his choice of trade.

Broken window and general front view of Hideaway restaurant in the popular Broadbeach area, along Gold Coast Highway, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Photo: Regi Varghese

Mr Imlach said on Tuesday it was going to cost him more than $5000 to fix the custom-made window but he was “lucky” to be reopen the next night.

Hideaway was back in business a day later on Sunday but he said the window wouldn’t be fixed until this coming Friday.

“Incidents like this always give you second thoughts of why you do it,” Mr Imlach said. “It’s heartbreaking. It is so stressful.

“Luckily the support from regulars, family and friends gets us through.”

Police arrived on scene and charged a 21-year-old Mermaid Waters man after he allegedly assaulted an officer.

Emergency services respond to the scene at Hideaway Kitchen and Bar, Broadbeach.

He was due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on July 10.

Three people were hospitalised at Gold Coast University Hospital. They were a man in his 40s who was in a serious condition and a man and a woman both in their 20s in a stable condition

Mr Imlach said a lot of his staff were “traumatised” from the incident.

“They had never experienced something like this before,” he said.

“They all did a bloody amazing job as did police and emergency services.

“It was a one off and something we never want to experience again. But hospitality is a bloody hard game sometimes.”

Mr Imlach said it was the first time it had happened to any of his venues across the Gold Coast.

“I’ve owned this venue for seven years and have never had a fight,” he said.

“I’m dumbfounded as to how this happened.”

Mr Imlach said the incident took place upstairs outside the male and female toilets.

“It’s a good 2m – 2.5m drop,” he said referring to the fall.

“I spoke to my builder before and he said ‘Mate that’s some serious force to go through that window’ he couldn’t believe it”.

Mr Hizola's owner Scott Imlach said he hoped the $200 million boost from the state government to get the light rail Burleigh adds up and would expediate the works. Picture Glenn Hampson

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