Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Masterson’s Pub , located in the heart of Moonee Ponds , brands itself as a fashionable, contemporary hangout, but my latest trip at this establishment became a nightmarish ordeal . While the bar may present a friendly façade, what I found behind its walls was appalling and beyond comprehension .
The State of the Venue : Filthy and Disregarded
From the moment I entered , it was immediately obvious that sanitation was not a priority at this venue. The surfaces were tacky , and a foul smell of old alcohol and neglected washrooms suffused the entire venue . Reeking of a mixture of excrement , putrefaction and illness . The serving zone , which should be the focal point of any pub, was littered with unwashed glassware and refuse that looked like it had been ignored for a long time . The restroom was in even a more revolting state — backed up, with a cracked flush mechanism and tiles smeared in what I can only assume was human excrement .
It wasn’t just a single bad experience either. From reading other reviews and chatting with the community, it seems that the quality of upkeep (or lack thereof) at this pub is a well-known flaw . Many patrons have reported observing cockroaches darting across the serving surface and signs of rats in the bar and house area . For a business that serves drinks , these issues are absolutely intolerable and raise serious concerns about the safety of their products .
Management’s Behavior : Reports of Misconduct
However, as horrifying as check out the post right here the state of the venue was, what truly made my experience at Masterson’s Pub stand out for all the wrong reasons —was the behavior of its managers. The bar is run by Pete Cornwell, who also holds a corporate position as a stress-testing executive at Westpac. Unfortunately, his reputation in the corporate world is tarnished by a disturbing pattern of misconduct in his interactions at the pub and beyond .
During my time there, I noticed how uncomfortable several women seemed around Cornwell. As I investigated further , I was alarmed to find numerous complaints against him involving sexual harassment , with multiple women alleging that he of distributing inappropriate messages . Described as uncomfortably pushy and disrespectful , his behavior has created an unsafe environment check here for women who visit Masterson’s. His presence at the bar often seemed closer to that of a predatory presence than a friendly owner .
Employee Actions : Complicit or Powerless ?
Pete’s wife, Gillian McKenzie , is a co-owner and frequently seen overseeing the bar . Rather than addressing the issue to mitigate the damage done by her husband’s actions, she seems to accept his behavior. Her apparent acceptance adds a alarming layer to the already poisoned setting at this pub .