Owner of celeb-packed bar speaks out after spate of drink spiking claims

The owner of a popular celebrity bar has broken his silence after several people claimed their drinks were spiked there.

Tristan Schukraft, the owner of The Abbey in West Hollywood, California, addressed the “wild conspiracy theories” about the “safe space” on Instagram.

Schukraft said binge drinking “is a widespread problem,” not just “something that’s unique to us,” as he cited an Alcohol.org survey that found 44 percent of men and 56 percent of women “unknowingly” had any food or drink. drinks spiked.

He assured customers that if staff at The Abbey, also known as ‘The Best Gay Bar in the World’, witness anyone ‘tampering with a drink, they will be immediately removed, handed over to the police and permanently banned.’

The owner’s response comes after many disgruntled customers went online and shared their alleged stories of binge drinking at the famous bar.

Tristan Schukraft, the owner, posted a video saying that drinking spikes are “a widespread problem” and not just “something unique to us”

One user posted a video for TiKTok in 2021 describing her experience after going to The Abbey, saying she was “shaking 30 minutes after my second drink at The Abbey.”

The woman added that she was “projectile vomiting” and “couldn’t control my body,” in the video that has since been viewed 1.3 million times.

Meanwhile, several Reddit users have insisted they experienced similar symptoms after partying at the bar.

One person suggested that this has been going on for a long time, and not just recently.

‘More than twenty years. Where there is smoke, there is fire,” they wrote.

Another talked about their experiences there last year.

‘A few friends of mine were sheltered there in September. In broad daylight on a Saturday afternoon, they hadn’t even finished their ONE drink.

‘I blacked out and had to be carried out of the bar, luckily by some friends who didn’t drink. The “they only make spirits” story is BS,” they said.

Another person claimed they had been at the bar in 2017.

‘It was a Sunday afternoon and I hadn’t had enough to be drunk. The only person who had access to my drink was the bartender as the place was empty having just opened.

“The next day I called their management office to ask for their security tapes. They claimed they saw nothing on the tapes, but I knew at the time that others there had been drugged and assaulted,” the customer wrote.

In the video, Schukraf said only one arrest had been made at the bar, “as the recent increase in liquor overages was due to our security team.”

A police report obtained by KTLA5, confirmed an incident involving binge drinking and sexual assault at The Abbey.

Security guards allegedly recognized the unnamed suspect from surveillance footage and handed him over to police for arrest the next day, the report said.

Others took it upon themselves to investigate the bar – which has been enjoyed by celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner, Snooki and Cher – when someone brought up the establishment’s online reviews.

“Yes, their Yelp reviews clearly show this pattern too,” they said.

The most recent The spiking claim came from a detailed article written by The 19th, a nonprofit news organization, in January of this year.

Since the bar opened 33 years ago, many celebrities have enjoyed the nightlife there, including the likes of Cher, Caitlyn Jenner and Snooki. (photo: singer Cher at The Abbey in June 2024)

Schukraft also told people what to do if they think their drink has been tampered with, saying it should be reported immediately to the counter or to police.

The outlet shared dozens of stories in which alleged victims, staff members, bartenders and law enforcement personnel shared their experiences about the surge in drinking at the bar.

“More than seventy people interviewed by The 19th over the course of three years reported going to The Abbey and drinking well below what they believed was their usual limit — in some cases consuming only soda or water — and that they experienced varying degrees of disorientation or loss of consciousness. ‘, the outlet said.

Despite the accusations, Schukraft remains confident in his bar, telling his followers that even the state of California requires businesses to have liquor test strips for purchase. The Abbey provides these free of charge.

“They are always available, all you have to do is ask,” he said.

Schukraft also told people that if they think their drink has been tampered with, they should immediately report it to the counter or to the police.

He added that if customers want to remake their drinks because they are “not sure” about it, they can request a new drink.

‘If you think you have consumed a value-added drink, go to hospital, be examined or request a toxicology report.

“We will be there to support you every step of the way,” Schukraft added.