AN Adelaide pub has apologised on its Facebook page for labelling people as "idiots" and telling them "don't come back" after they disagreed with its views opposing increased penalty rates for hospitality staff.

Angry punters have accused The Bombay Bicycle Club, at Ovingham, of failing "PR 101" after its attempts to explain its opposition to a "ludicrous" public holiday penalty rate increase were met with hundreds of angry responses on its Facebook page.

The post has since been removed but has been shared across social media sites and can be seen here.

A later message on the page said the business regretted the wording and didn't mean to cause offence.

The messages were posted under the name of the business, so it was not clear who was responsible for them.

The business says it also has taken down a sign in its entrance that showed patrons what foods on its bar menu would cost if the price was increased by 2.75 times.

"We will have to pay our staff 2.75 times the base rate for public holidays. This is how the prices on our bar menu would look using that formula", the sign read.

The menu listed a Share Platter for $135, Lobster sliders for over $100, Beef Vindaloo for more than $60 and Salt and Pepper Squid for $55.

The bottom of the sign read: "Still not convinced this is an unreasonable amount? Divide what you currently get per hour by 2.75! Proper menus are in the bar".

The sign sparked an angry response from many patrons, who took to the pub's Facebook page to post negative reviews accusing the business of showing "contempt" and "distaste" for its staff and with many vowing never to go back.

"I will never be returning. How dare you treat your staff like they don't deserve decent wages and conditions," David Pink wrote.

"Never been and now never will," Sally Haddow wrote.

The pub responded in a lengthy post, denying it had disrespected its workers by erecting the sign, which was to show "how ludicrous a multiple of 2.75 times is when applied to meal costs".

"There has been no disrespect shown to our workers only to the idiots who believe that rates of 2.75 times (over $50 an hour) are justified and are sustainable by any business.

"I can only imagine how much you would scream if you were charged rates of his multiple for anything.

"Imagine going to the movies for $49.50 a ticket on a public holiday, a $30 taxi ride costing $82.50 or a ticket to the footy costing $84. Just who is showing disrespect here?"

The post claimed the increased penalty rates left employees worse off in some cases and would force venues to stay closed on public holidays, as was the case in Melbourne.

"So, by all means don't come back, and by all means complain about us pointing out the stupidity of a rate 2.75 times the norm but please don't insinuate disrespect by us to our employees".

The message prompted a further backlash, attracting more than 300 comments, many of them critical.

"Wow, you guys have really embarrassed yourselves here," user Matthew Hayward wrote.

"If you think the best way to conduct your business is by not only showing indignation towards your staff (the sign is a nasty piece of work) but then writing off potential customers by calling them "idiots" then perhaps you need to rethink your strategy," Hayward wrote.

Sam Davis wrote: "Wow. Cheers for calling us idiots just because we don't share your view on industrial relations."

Others criticised the pub's handling of the issue, labelling the issue a PR and social media "fail".

"Biggest social media FAIL I've seen in a while," user Matthew Herbert wrote.

Late on Monday afternoon, the pub's original post was removed and a new message posted in its place read: "Again, WOW. The sign has been removed. Have read all your comments. I will keep my opinions to myself in future".

"Too late. Your 'opinion' has already spread across Facebook and beyond. Not going to be good for business," Facebook user Bart Csorba wrote.

"Damage has been done," users Rye Smith wrote.

Around 8.30pm a third message appeared on the business' Facebook page which read: The BBC ownership would like to apologise for our sign and Facebook post. We regret the wording. There was no intention to offend anyone".

The business declined to comment when contacted by The Advertiser today.

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