Organisers have cancelled a planned jelly wrestling and beer pong event after a public outcry.
The Universal on McCrae nightclub promoted the event as a competition between Bendigo schools Catholic College and Bendigo Senior Secondary College on Friday night.
After it was revealed on radio on Thursday morning, public outcry forced organisers to remove the schools' names from the event.
Club manager Toby Gray has confirmed to the Weekly the event will not take place, and has vowed to look into any legal action.
"We are bitterly disappointed with the negative response from individuals and the media about our major event," he said.
"We have cancelled our special event, which included special guest Dan Ewing from Home and Away.
"A stated, both BSSC and CCB were never part of any organisation of this event and it was never the aim to downgrade these organisations.
"It was just a bit of fun that has been enjoyed by many over six years."
Mr Gray said the club would look at its legal options.
"The comments made by certain media outlets will be checked by our solicitors as we feel our business name may have been damaged by certain untruths," he said.
"The jelly wrestling and beer pong, plus the actual event, were all run by the Licensing Inspector in Bendigo in a meeting one week ago and there were no liquor license problems, otherwise we would have changed our approach.
"Finally, the Universal will now, and always, be trying to entertain the youth of Bendigo and we make no apologies for that."
EARLIER
Organisers of a planned jelly wrestling and beer pong event at a nightclub tomorrow night are preparing to cancel the events.
The Universal on McCrae nightclub advertised the event as a competition between two Bendigo schools.
After it was revealed on radio this morning, public outcry forced organisers to remove the schools' names from the event.
The Bendigo Weekly understands nightclub owners will tonight announce the jelly wrestling and beer pong parts of the school muck up day event have been cancelled.
EARLIER
The nightclub hosting a Catholic College vs Bendigo Senior Secondary College jelly wrestling competition on Friday night has deleted all references to the schools after national media attention.
The event was billed as a competition between girls from the two schools.
After concerns from the schools, the references to them has been dumped, however the wrestling will continue.
The venue manager behind the event said it’s a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for the girls involved.
“We’ve done it for six years for (university) O-Week),” Universal on McCrae’s Toby Gray said.
“All that is different here is about three months.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is, they are taking everything out of context.”
A poster (below) for the hotel’s “Muck-Up Day”, hosted by television action Dan Ewing, includes the promotion of “Jelly Wrestling CCB vs BSSC girls” and
“Beer Pong CCB vs BSSC guys” on Friday night.
Mr Gray said complaints about the event are misplaced.
“They are massively taking it out of context,” he said.
“The girls have a giggle, it’s a bit of fun.
“They are all wearing singlets and shorts, and they are probably wearing more than most girls wear in the streets these days.”
The schools have expressed concern about the event, and have contacted police in case of possible liquor license breaches.
Mr Gray dismissed the publicity as a "storm in a teacup".
"BSCC and Catholic college schools board have had no involvement in the organisation or promotion of this event at Universal and our Jelly Wrestling has run for six years, with police knowledge," he said.
"It’s a shame there’s so many party poopers around."
