After encountering widespread outrage, Australian Venue Co (AVC) has revised plans to ban Australia Day celebrations at its pubs and bars.

The hospitality group, which owns 200 venues in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia – had originally directed managers not to allow Australia Day to be celebrated in its establishments on January 26.

“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,” an Australian Venue Co spokeswoman told the Herald Sun.

However, in a statement released Monday, the company said it ‘sincerely regretted’ causing distress to patrons.

“Our purpose is to reinforce community in our venues, not divide it. It is not for us to tell anyone whether or how to celebrate Australia Day,” the statement 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,” a spokesman added.

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

The backflip came after the hospitality group was inundated with anger from punters.

“I’ll make sure I never set foot into any of your pubs ever again,” one man posted on social media.

Conservative commentator Steve Price added to the fury on The Project, saying: “When are these finger waving woke corporations going to wake up to the fact we don’t want them to tell us what to do on Australia Day?”

Meanwhile Queensland senator Matt Canavan said it wasn’t right for the group to be acting as “moral guardians”.

“Get off their moral high horse. They’re a pub, for God’s sake They deal in alcohol … I mean, let people have a good time at a pub,” he told the Today show.

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Bruce Mathieson, who is a major shareholder in AVC’s rival Endeavour Group, said the decision was ill advised.

“I just think it’s appalling what they are doing. That is just stupid, stupid stuff and it really is beyond belief,” Mathieson told the Australian Financial Review.

“We should celebrate every bloody moment we have in this country. We’re not proud enough of Australia as it is.”

A spokeswoman for ALH Hotels, part of Endeavour Group, said it left decisions on Australia Day to local managers and did not direct them.

“As has always been the case, each of our hotels will determine how or whether to mark the day based on their local community and guest preferences,” she said.