A PUBLICAN is claiming heavy-handed tactics by police at his hotel over the Great Race weekend could cost him his business.
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Farmer’s Arms publican Dale Stapleton said the police presence at his hotel was over the top on the Friday and Saturday of the race.
He said officers stationed out the front of the hotel stopped people coming to the pub on his biggest trading weekend of the year.
However, police have defended their actions, saying public safety was their top priority.
Mr Stapleton said the hotel, on the Vale Road, attracted an average of 1500 people through the door per day over race weekend last year.
By comparison, fewer than 150 people came through the door a day last weekend.
“We had more police here than patrons,” he said yesterday.
“The number of police was unbelievable, and it was intimidating.”
Mr Stapleton said police did 169 “walk throughs” on Friday night.
“Between 4pm and 8.30pm Friday there were 35 police standing out the front,” he said.
“The riot squad were parked across the road.
“I ran a shuttle bus between the hotel and the Mount and when the bus arrived here they [police] wouldn’t let people off.
“They’d go to walk in, and the police refused them entry, but wouldn’t say why.”
Mr Stapleton said there were police hiding in the hotel’s car park on Friday night, scaring those at the hotel who went out to have a cigarette.
“The situation was unbelievable,” he said.
As a result, Mr Stapleton said his business has suffered a mass-ive loss which could mean the closure of the hotel.
“I am absolutely gutted. It has destroyed us,” he said.
“The weekend will end up costing me $8000 out of my own pocket, without making one cent.
“Basically, they have ruined my business. I just want to know why I was targeted.
“During winter, things are always a bit tough here, and it’s the money we make over race weekend which keeps us going and props us back up for summer.
“Basically, as a result of what happened, we are broke.
“I really don’t know if we will be open much longer. The whole thing is very stressful.”
