A prison-themed bar where patrons dress in orange jumpsuits and sip cocktails in mock jail cells has sparked backlash ahead of its opening in Melbourne.
Alcotraz is spruiked as an “immersive cocktail experience like no other” and is set to open in June but it’s already been condemned for seeking “to profit from exploitation”.
The name and theme of the speakeasy cocktail bar is a play on the defunct US prison Alcatraz and features bar staff dressed as prisoners and actors who play “crooked” guards.
Fever and Inventive Productions, the marketing firm behind the concept, operates several Alcotraz bars in the UK but its plans to expand Down Under have already drawn criticism from an Australian charity.
The National Network, which advocates for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls, condemned the opening in Melbourne as “insensitive and offensive”.
“Alcotraz’s attempt to turn incarceration into a form of entertainment is a gross minimisation of the suffering endured by people who have been criminalised,” member Debbie Kilroy, who is also chief executive of Sisters Inside, said.
“Creating a space where people can pay to pretend they are prisoners is not only reductive but also incredibly disrespectful.”
Co-member and abolition activist Tabitha Lean said the concept was “a slap in the face” for people who have suffered real trauma and brutalisation.
“The very notion of a prison-themed bar on land with a history of dispossession and ongoing oppression of Aboriginal communities is abhorrent,” she said.
“Prisons are sites of immense pain and suffering, especially for Aboriginal people who face higher rates of incarceration and deaths in custody.”
A spokesperson for Inventive Productions and Fever told The Guardian it has a partnership with a UK charity which works to prevent miscarriages of justice.
“The partnership demonstrates its commitment to the education and enrichment of its customers and communities on issues relevant to their immersive experiences,” they said.
“Inventive Productions continues to be sensitive towards the real-world difficulties that could be associated with such stories and evaluate how best to support those around us.”
9news.com.au has contacted Fever and Inventive Productions for comment.
