The Sydney venue that turned away American pop star Pink earlier this week has claimed that the singer was not refused entry but ‘chose to leave.’
The singer, 44, and a large entourage was turned away at the door of Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club on Monday evening because she hadn’t brought any ID with her.
The So What hitmaker reportedly had made a booking and paid 50% deposit to secure the reservation, before witnesses said she was ‘turfed out’ due to the club rules about identification.
However, in a statement released on Thursday, the club denied that the unceremonious barring of the pop star was due to a bureaucratic technicality.
‘It’s important to clarify that Pink was not “turfed out”; she chose to leave after encountering the sign-in process issue,’ said secretary manager of the club, Matt Hazell.
A Sydney venue that turned away Pink on Monday has claimed the singer ‘chose to leave.’ The singer, 44, and her entourage was turned away from Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club because she hadn’t brought any ID with her. Pictured with children Willow (L) and Jameson (R)
in a statement, the club denied the barring of the pop star was due to a bureaucratic technicality. ‘It’s important to clarify that Pink was not “turfed out”; she chose to leave after encountering the sign-in process issue,’ said secretary manager of the club, Matt Hazell
The statement continued, ‘As a 100-year-old sailing club, we have policies to ensure all patrons are signed in correctly.
‘However, there was a misunderstanding, and we regret any embarrassment or frustration caused. We appreciate [Pink’s] graciousness and hope to welcome her back soon.’
However witness Mark Eymes told A Current Affair on Thursday night that Pink was told ‘she has to have her own ID’ in order to enter the club.
Mark said that when Pink was asked by an employee if she could provide ID, she responded: ‘No, I don’t, I don’t carry ID”.’
‘She said, “I’ve got this booking, I’ve paid a 50 per cent deposit”,’ he recalled.
Mark revealed that he tried to present his own membership card in a bid to get Pink into the venue, but claimed that staff weren’t budging on the ID rule.
‘I sort of heard it happening, so I jumped over to her line and got my membership card and started waving it around,’ he said.
‘I said, “look, I’ll sign them in, here’s my card and let’s go”. They just said straight away, “no, she has to have her own ID”.’
After being turned away from the Skiff Club, Pink and her crew made a short trip down Manly’s East Esplanade to 4 Pines Brewing.
After being turned away from the Skiff Club, Pink and her crew made a short trip down Manly’s East Esplanade to 4 Pines Brewing
It comes as many Australians took to social media to express their discontent at the rules.
‘Sydney is a joke,’ wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter), while another posted, ‘What a bunch of losers we have become.’
‘Welcome to the nanny state, Pinky!’ another began, before elaborating, ‘but seriously….she’s 44 years old. It’s beyond ridiculous that she was required to prove her age. What a disaster Sydney’s night life is these days.’
Many Australians took to social media to express their discontent at the rules
‘What kind of s***hole have we become where adults need to show ID to be allowed into to purchase dinner,’ another X user complained.
However, others were not as embarrassed by the incident, believing that the rules should apply to all.
‘I don’t see the problem. She had no ID. Would you be let in without it? No. Her perceived “status” is irrelevant,’ read one comment.
‘Good for the club. There’s one rule for all visitors. Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean you get special privileges,’ wrote another, while one more asked: ‘Why shouldn’t she abide by the rules?’
Pink, who considers Australia to be a ‘second home’, is currently Down Under for her Summer Carnival tour, which kicked off in Sydney on Friday night.
She has been out and about exploring with her husband Carey Hart and their children Willow, 12, and Jameson, 7, surprising Aussies with their low-key outings.
Pink was born and raised in the United States but has become an ‘honorary Aussie’ after breaking records for concert and album sales Down Under
