IT'S the haircut that's business at the front and party at the back - except, as comedian Chris Franklin found out, if that party's at The Alma Tavern.

The Queensland comedian and unofficial "King of the Bogans", famous for his 2000 No.1 smash hit song Bloke, was turned away from the eastern Adelaide pub last month after being it had a "no mullets policy" - despite the venue regularly hosting Crows player Taylor "Tex" Walker, arguably the most famous mullet in the AFL.

In town for a stand-up show at city club The Rhino Room, two-time ARIA Award nominee Chris had planned to celebrate his birthday at the hotel with a Sunday lunch with mates, but was refused entry when security took a dislike to his hairdo.

"I actually had torn jeans and thongs on, but the bouncer said it was the `no mullets policy' the pub has that was the reason I wasn't allowed to go in," Chris says.

media_camera The Alma Tavern in Norwood. It doesn't like mullets.

Meanwhile Tex was at The Alma as recently as September 21 when he joined former Adelaide Crows captain Mark Ricciuto for a Triple M radio broadcast. When contacted for comment, a manager of The Alma who would identify himself only as "Mark" said he couldn't recall the incident, but said it was hotel policy.

"It's not a 'no mullet' policy, it's about outlandish haircuts and that sort of thing," he says.

Chris, who returns to Adelaide for two more shows tomorrow and Saturday, says the incident hadn't affected his fondness for the city.

Originally published as Tavern gives mullets the chop