Barracuda defends cheap party deals
Barracuda has defended a £1 drinks night at a Newquay bar, attended by Prince William, that ended in a violent attack.
The Barracuda Bar runs a £1 party night on Fridays and Mondays and advertises a Saturday "Sluts on the Dancefloor" evening, where clubbers could get "SOTDF" (sex on the dance floor).
Prince William visited the club during a Newquay surfing trip and was seen drinking bottles of VK and vodka- jelly shots.
He had left when a 19-year-old man was attacked with a bottle at about 1.30am, leaving him with 35 stitches. Three men were arrested and released on bail.
Barracuda spokeswoman Sarah Calderbank said: "This is put in context when you look at the town's bars and clubs offering similar promotions. We believe some offer drinks for as little as 60p.
"As a company we do not have a blanket approach to discounted promotions. In certain cases a value offer, such as £1 for selected drinks, combined with minimum £3 door charge, ensures we are in line with market competition in the immediate area.
"As with all our offers, this is a responsible promotion, corresponding with our position as a responsible licensed retailer, because of the way we operate our premises."
The MA also found that all drinks in Bertie's nightclub, in Newquay, cost 80p on a Friday and £1 before midnight on Saturdays.
But other nearby licensees expressed concern.
Inez Ward, Enterprise Inns tenant at Mavericks in Newquay, said: "How am I supposed to compete with pricing like that? On Fridays our pub empties - everyone heads off to the Barracuda."
Jon Collins, chairman of Noctis, which represents late-night operators, added: "It's important to stress that an absolutely tiny minority of premises run this type of offer.
"In these challenging trading times, the misconception made by politicians is that bars are profiteering from these offers. But no-one likes slashing profit margins; any such offer is made through gritted teeth and because of current pressures."
