Exclusive Melbourne venue Electric Bar Prahran charged with illegal alcohol service offending: Court
A Prahran hotspot almost impossible to get into unless you’re an Instagram influencer or an AFL star has been accused of criminal behaviour.
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An exclusive Melbourne bar favoured by Instagram influencers, reality TV personalities, international megastars and big name AFL players was the target of a major police op.
Prahran venue Electric Bar is fighting allegations it allowed patrons to consume alcohol outside the boundaries of its liquor licence.
Electric is also fighting an accusation it served alcohol beyond the licence limitations of the celebrity infested Chapel St cocktail bar.
Lawyers for Electric Ladyland Pty Ltd – the owners of Electric Bar – fronted court to fight the criminal charges on behalf of the Prahran hotspot.
Electric was charged with allegedly breaching licence by supplying and allowing liquor to be consumed “outside of the red-line plan”.
Every licenced venue has a red-line plan — floorplan drawings where alcohol is allowed to be served and consumed.
The red-line plan might exclude certain areas, such as a smoking zone, footpath tables or staircases.
It’s not clear what area outside the red-line was allegedly breached.
The court heard multiple police including plain-clothed members stormed the bustling venue prior to charging Electric for the offending which allegedly occurred on August 28, 2022.
Evidence including CCTV, bodyworn camera footage and statements from multiple witnesses will also be presented, the court was told.
Lawyers for Electric also successfully blocked more information regarding the allegations from being made public.
The court heard “reputational damage” to staff could eventuate if the information was released to the media.
The prosecution submitted plain clothed and uniformed police allegedly observed alcohol being served outside of Electric’s liquor licence.
Electric strenuously denies the allegations and is seeking to have the matter resolved at a lengthy contest slated to be heard within the next 12 months.
The Prahran favourite faced criticism in 2021 following a string of drink-spiking incidents that saw the bar install CCTV cameras throughout the venue.
The Chapel St institution – which has been open since 2007 – is no stranger to a celebrity guest.
The bar hosts Australian reality TV stars, influencers and fan fav footballers including Bailey Smith on a weekly basis.
Electric was also graced with the attendance of international pop star Dua Lipa during her Future Nostalgia world tour.
The matter will return to court at a later date.
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