A pubs giant has apologised after suggesting it will ban Australia Day celebrations at its hundreds of venues across the country.

Hong-Kong-owned Australian Venue Co had said its 200 pubs would not observe the national day because of the “sadness” and “hurt” it caused some patrons.

But after backlash, the hospitality company said it was sorry for causing “concern and confusion”.

“We sincerely regret that – our purpose is to reinforce community in our venues, not divide it,” a spokesperson said.

“It is not for us to tell anyone whether or how to celebrate Australia Day.

“We acknowledge that, and we apologise for our comments. It certainly wasn’t our intention to offend anyone.”

“Whether you choose to celebrate Australia Day or not, everyone is welcome in our pubs, always.

“We have been, and are always, open over Australia Day and we continue to book events for patrons.

“Across our community of team members and patrons, many different views are held, and we acknowledge that.”

The Herald Sun reported on Monday that the pubs giant was cancelling Australia Day in 2025.

“Australia Day is a day that causes sadness for some members of our community, so we have decided not to specifically celebrate a day that causes hurt for some of our patrons and our team,” Australian Venue Co told the newspaper.

Australian Venue Co’s website says it owns and operates the country’s “best-loved pubs, bars and event spaces”.

These include “landmark” institutions and humble locals such as The Esplanade Hotel and Prince of Wales in St Kilda, the Duke of Wellington and Garden State Hotel in Melbourne, Brisbane’s iconic Regatta Hotel and The Port Office Hotel, Sydney’s Cargo and Adelaide’s The Colonist and the Parkside Hotel.

Last Australia Day, supermarket giants Woolworths and Aldi controversially decided to stop selling themed merchandise such as thongs in the lead-up to January 26 this year.

That decision triggered Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to call on shoppers to boycott Woolworths.

The federal government slammed Dutton, accusing him of trying to start a culture war.

At the time, Cabinet minister Murray Watt reaffirmed the government’s commitment to Australia Day, saying it supported keeping the public holiday on January 26.

For many Indigenous Australians, January 26 marks the “invasion” of Britain’s First Fleet in 1788.

For them it is a day of great sorrow that reminds of the impact of colonialism on their culture, land and people.