Surrey restaurant apologises for 'inappropriate, disrespectful and offensive' dress code requiring that women wear 'midi or bodicon dress' or 'sexy black ankle-strap heels with a form-fitting top'

The Staff Canteen

A Japanese restaurant and bar in Leatherhead, Surrey, has apologised for posting an "inappropriate, disrespectful and offensive" dress code on its website, after it was criticised online by members of the public.

Beluga, which is due to open tomorrow, is accessible by invitation onto the guest list only. The venue's Ts and Cs, as seen by The Daily Mail but unavailable on the venue's website at the time of writing, stated that women should either wear "skinny jeans with sexy black ankle-strap heels and with a form-fitting top," or "midi or bodycon dresses" to be allowed access to the venue.

It also said that customers wearing more classically-frowned upon attire such as "hoodies, trainers, shorts, flip flops or any other sportswear" would be denied entry.

In a statement on social media, the venue expressed "sincere apologies for the T&Cs" which it said were "mistakenly published" on its website.

"The description was inappropriate, disrespectful and offensive and does not reflect the image we're seeking to promote.

"We wish to clarify that our policy is a smart dress code for men and women… we are wholeheartedly apologising for any offence and upset that we have caused."

Smart dress preferred

Imposing a dress code is perfectly legal as a business, and expecting that guests dress up for an occasion is widely accepted within hospitality.

For example, The Ritz in London has different dress codes in different areas of the hotel, The Man Behind the Curtain has a "jacket preferred" policy and Midsummer House requires that customers don't wear shorts.

However, going much further in its stipulations, the dresscode at Beluga was branded to be "sexist and out of touch" by an individual on social media.

Another commented: "Are you for real? The dress code. You are in Leatherhead not central London ffs! Never read anything so mysogynistic!"

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by BELUGA (@beluga.surrey)

 

Described on its website as "a modern & elegant place to enjoy an evening of fine dining, exciting cocktails with the best in-house DJs and music to upbeat your senses," the restaurant serves sushi and caviar, while the bar serves cocktails costing between £14 and £16, such the 'Erotic Martini' and 'Pink Japan.' 

"Our award-winning chefs have designed an electric menu, which will take the city by storm, chefs masterminds our innovative menus, while our talented mixologists are driving forward Surrey’s cocktail culture with exciting ingredients and creations."

"Relax in our luxurious art deco styled restaurant and treat yourself to our outstanding sushi menu at Beluga. It’s a taste sensation!"

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall  – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 10th February 2022

Surrey restaurant apologises for 'inappropriate, disrespectful and offensive' dress code requiring that women wear 'midi or bodicon dress' or 'sexy black ankle-strap heels with a form-fitting top'