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Sydney lawyer defends restaurant police accused of encouraging 'antisocial behaviour'

A lawyer has slammed the NSW Police version of events after a Sydney restaurant was accused of advertising wine that encourages 'unsavoury antisocial behaviour'.

Claire Campbell has defended the 10 William Street restaurant at the centre of a storm on Saturday night which was sparked when police intervened after finding a "heavily intoxicated woman in the gutter outside" the diner.

Police said in a statement officers entered the restaurant on the belief it was operating as a bar and not serving food as the kitchen was closed.


However, Ms Campbell who was eating with her parents, said that was "entirely incorrect", Fairfax reports.

"The kitchen was certainly not closed. At the time the police were outside … I, along with my father and mother, were part way through our dinner," She said.

"After the police left we ordered a dessert course," Ms Campbell said.

Sydney lockout laws have turned the city into a 'ghost town'. Picture: Matt Barrie
Sydney lockout laws have turned the city into a 'ghost town'. Picture: Matt Barrie

Responding to accusations their actions were over the top, NSW Police said in a statement they inspected the restaurant on suspicion it was breaching its licence.

"A large number of patrons were consuming wine. A large wine list on the wall made no reference to food service. No tables had menus on them. A bar area with a large amount of wine and spirits was observed. The kitchen was closed," the statement said.

Despite police asserting from their "observation (that) the vast majority of the approximately 55 patrons had finished eating and were drinking", Ms Campbell said the officers never entered the premises, interviewing staff outside and not checking upstairs were more people were seated.

Police said the "large wine list on the wall made no reference to food service. No tables had menus on them," but Ms Campbell countered this too.

She said her party had just finished their dinner at the time police were there and were ordering dessert while others were still eating their meals.

"Suggesting, one would assume, that menus were no longer required," she said.

An Instagram post from the restaurant's proprietor following the police visit blew up as many cried fowl of the officers' actions and assertions while lamenting Sydney had become a "nanny state".


"So according to NSW POLICE FORCE our blackboard with what we are pouring by the glass is promoting unsavoury antisocial behaviour," restaurateur Giovanni Paradiso wrote on Instagram.

"SYDNEY WHAT THE F**** IS HAPPENING," he added.

Co-owner Marco Ambrosino told culture street press Broadsheet Sydney's lockout laws were making it harder for people in the hospitality industry to operate.

"We are a wine bar, so we put our wines by the glass at the front and hand people a menu when they sit down. We've had it like this for six years," he said.

"We're very, very frustrated. None of us have had any trouble. The police are painting us all with one brush."

Sydney's lockout laws will soon be up for review but they have already led to an 80 per cent drop in foot traffic in Kings Cross and caused several venues across the CBD to close.

News break – February 7