Swillhouse’s first major festival is teetering on the edge of collapse as major partners pull out and the company pleads with staff and suppliers not to abandon them after it was accused of failing to support staff who reported multiple alleged sexual assaults.
Other major hospitality companies including Love Tilly Devine are now scrambling to contain the fallout across the industry by attempting to silence their workers. But its festival is now on life support with no major beer brands, or wine suppliers and only one band still scheduled to perform on September 21. Non-member tickets for the festival at Le Foote in the Rocks sold out within four days.The lead wine curator of Swillfest, Mike Bennie, pulled the plug on Thursday morning. Bennie was integral to Swillhouse’s vision of “probably the world’s most original wine fair”, having co-founded P&V Wine and Liquor Merchants.
In an email to staff, patrons and suppliers later that night, Swillhouse said the investigation had painted a “distressing picture of Swillhouse and our workplace culture”.“Swillhouse is heartbroken that there have been instances where some of our current and former employees have felt unsupported, unheard or at risk,” it said. “We are fully committed to rebuilding any lost trust with each of you.