Over the past few years, the Bella Vista Hotel in Sydney’s North-West has gained publicity for all the wrong reasons – not allowing mullet-wearing patrons into their venue.
The hotel refused entry to Gilgandra resident Tobey Creenaune who travelled 5 hours to have a night out with friends and family.
“They wouldn’t let me in because of my short mullet. I felt discriminated for my haircut. It was very laughable,” Creenaune says.
According to the Bella Vista’s website dress regulations and entry policy the hotel will, ‘refuse entry if personal grooming is inappropriate.’ Insufficient explanation of ‘personal grooming’ has created confusion for patrons, who are often shocked once they arrive at the venue, and are told they can’t come in because of their haircut.
Hills resident Nabil Laoulach insists he is actively avoiding the BVH as he says security come across as army sergeants, walking around with aggression. After speaking to security, they claimed, “We go off what management and policy tell us. If someone appears to be a threat to patrons or is intoxicated, we won’t let them in.” Insisting, “If you have a mullet, you must tie it up.”
Laoulach believes the policies are outdated and should be open to more people.
“I felt like a minority. I was instantly seen as a bad person because of my mullet” , Laoulach says, “It’s laughable having to tie it up. I grew a mullet not a man bun.”
On the other side of town in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Waverly College banned mullets a couple of years ago. Speaking to the media in 2021, Deputy Principal Patrick Brennan stated, “The mullet at present is not acceptable and students will be directed to the local barber or their preferred hairstylist to rectify any issues.” More recently the school confirmed its policy saying students who rocked up with a mullet would have it cut on the spot and be charged for the cost.
Possibly it’s time for society to drop its shoulders turning this into a non-issue and accept the mullet resurgence. Sporting stars have rocked the mullet for years. In the AFL there was the golden boy of old, Warwick Capper and now it’s new spunk on the scene, Western Bulldog, Bailey Smith. After all it’s a fitting acknowledgement to the 80s and many men and women seem to be reinventing their version of the ‘do.
The mullet is as Australian as it gets. It’s laid-back, fun and the wearer of the mullet doesn’t take themselves too seriously. “Venues should be open to letting more people in and not judge them on their appearance,” Laoulach says.
