Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says she was “tipsy” when she skipped the bill at a popular restaurant but has no regrets about supporting local hospitality.
In a statement, Whanau said she “strenuously denies” claims about drunken behaviour including asking a waiter “do you know who I am?” after being cut off.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, she admitted she was tipsy while dining at the Old Quarter on Dixon St on Friday evening, but said accusations about her conduct and being refused service are “simply false.”
She told Wellington Morning’s Nick Mills the failure to pay the bill was a “miscommunication” between friends, and she was “mortified” by the mistake and she had apologised to the restaurant.
Whanau said she was “tipsy” and “merry” after a hearty dinner and drinks with a friend, but was in no way drunk. She told Mills she had not been wearing makeup, which may have contributed to why people thought she was drunk.
Sharon Campbell was dining outside with a friend at the Old Quarter on Friday night, sitting nearby the mayor and some of her friends. Campbell told NZME that Whanau was visibly intoxicated but “whatever, it’s Friday night”.
“She jumped up to grab it and she was looking like she was going to scull the bottle of wine in the street and he was trying to grab it away from her and then I heard her say, ‘do you know who I am?’”
Whanau then walked away down the street, and Campbell says she heard the waiter discussing the incident with the table next to them.
“The waiter came out and was like ‘she skipped out on paying her bill’. Then I heard him say to the table ‘she asked for special privileges as well’ and the table she was with just kind of laughed it off, they didn’t seem too fazed.
“I was flabbergasted ... she’s abusing her power as mayor to try to get freebies around Wellington and, like, lady you’re richer than all of us, pay your bill!”
The Old Quarter general manager Shay Lomas told NZME Whanau was definitely intoxicated, and he confirmed she had asked a waiter if they knew who she was.
“I’d say she was trying to be funny but also not really – it was a mixture of serious and a bit ditzy, there wasn’t anything really disrespectful about it, it was just like “do you recognise me?’”
Whanau had turned up to the restaurant already tipsy he said, to the point staff considered not serving her. However as she was eating, they decided it would be okay. Whanau ordered wine with dinner and got drunker as the night continued.
He said the staff had mentioned it seemed as if she may have been trying to get special treatment, but as he had not served her personally he couldn’t confirm that.
Lomas said people frequently walk away without paying, especially while sitting outside, so that in itself was not particularly unusual. He also confirmed the $140 tab was settled the next day
Staff at the Old Quarter told The Post that Whanau came in at around 7pm on Friday with a friend, already tipsy. They considered not serving her, but decided as she was also eating it would be okay.
As the night progressed, staff claimed Whanau got drunker from the bottle of wine she had ordered with dinner and staff decided to cut her off. They did not have time to let Whanau know before they realised she had left the restaurant without paying the bill.
Campbell said the mayor’s behaviour was concerning.
“There’s a code of conduct that needs to happen with any mayor or councillor. Sitting on the street trying to scull wine from the bottle is not someone I would vote for. There needs to be some decorum.”
Wellington City councillor Rebecca Matthews told NZME she thought the story was “very overcooked”.
“I think that on a Friday night, you can go out and have a few drinks no matter what your job is ... I support her and I think we shouldn’t expect public figures no matter what their job is to be a complete saint 100 percent of the time.”
On the allegations of Whanau asking “do you know who I am”, Matthews said it didn’t fit with her understanding of who the mayor is as a person.
“She said to me that hasn’t happened but if it did it would have been a joke – I know Tory, she’s a decent person, she doesn’t use her power over people.”
