In Advanced Licensee Training, minimising the risk of alcohol-related harms in your business is a key topic that will be covered.
As a leader in your business, it is critical that you also take a risk-based approach to managing your licensed premises by developing harm minimisation strategies and procedures specific to your business and environment.
Environmental design strategies are key in helping control risk.
Queue and crowd management
Entry points
Entry points are the critical area where customers can have their ID checked and be allowed or refused entry. A well-organised entry point sets the tone for the type of behaviour that will be acceptable and the overall professionalism of the establishment. However, queues outside licensed premises or at events can be a frequent location for aggression, increasing the likelihood of violent incidents. There are a heap of potential problems when it comes to queues including long wait times, unfair entry policies, excessive or aggressive exit practices, violence in the queue and restricting pavement spaces. There are numerous measures that can be taken to help reduce queuing issues these include:- are well lit
- are well covered by your CCTV
- are away from public walkways where possible
- do not interfere with regular pedestrian flow
- provide enough space for customers to wait comfortably
- use barriers for orderly queuing
- are not limited in number - there should be more than one entrance where possible
- have increased staff monitoring for early detection and defusal of problems like noise, queue cutting and anti-social behaviour
- employ additional security staff to reduce customer wait times
- have security personnel for bag checking and ID scanning who are well rehearsed in the process.
ID Scanners
ID scanners are effective for sharing information and preventing troublesome customers from entering licensed venues or events, but long processing times can agitate patrons and escalate the risk of violent incidents. Operating the scanners effectively can help mitigate these issues, plus having an adequate team size will help.Exit points
Exits should provide a smooth transition from the party atmosphere to the street outside. There is a period of risk as groups come together outside and are often competing for public transportation. If the venue has a large capacity, a well-organised and supervised system for the allocation of taxis will be required. Exit points should be:- clearly marked
- manned by security staff
- provide the maximum noise buffer for any residential properties
- be well covered by CCTV.
Crowd management
In crowded areas, customers will get pushed while standing, they will have difficulty moving and getting served. Bottlenecks and crossflow of pedestrians can result in crowded areas, and as competition to get served increases so does frustration and conflict. Crowd management practices can help with these issues and include:- making the environment work for you: the last thing you want when large crowds are moving around inside the venue is a bottleneck. Ensure there is enough space within your venue and that walkways are wide enough for two-way traffic if required
- checking the floor plan: see if there is anything you can change to improve the foot flow in and around the venue and reduce crowded areas and cross flow
- reconsidering your numbers: if the environment can’t be physically adjusted, you may need to reduce customer capacity, even below the numbers that you are legally allowed to hold within your venue
- placing signs strategically: ensure there is an abundance of clear signage detailing the direction of amenities such as bar, toilets and food service
- making sure there are no hazards: e.g. uneven ground, doors in major thoroughfares closing etc.
- having the right amount of security: the right numbers in your security team will help to ensure things run smoothly. Consider crowd demographics, venue size, experience levels of staff and relevant responsibilities to ensure sufficient numbers
- employing a friendly and helpful security team: if security is calm, professional and polite it will help to ensure people respond better to them and accept what they say, such as if security tells a customer they can’t enter without ID.
Bar areas
Bar areas are a typical congestion point, with customers often jostling for a position in the bar queue. This can lead to frustration and aggression as customers compete for service. Bar area design should:- provide an orderly queuing system
- allow for smooth customer flow from the bar area once service has been completed
- provide staff with a good line of sight.
Dance floors
The dance floor in a late-night environment can be the most central part of a late-night licensed venue and a potentially higher-risk area. By design, dance floor areas can be confined, dark and often crowded. Dance floors should:- be temperature controlled – overheating can lead to frustration and aggression amongst
- customers
- be free of any furniture or clutter
- have clear entry and exit pathways
- be adequately supervised with static and roaming guards.
Toilets
Venues must provide adequate toilet facilities based on customer capacity. Long waits for toilet facilities can cause congestion points and lead to frustration and aggression. Toilet facilities should be:- adequate for customer capacity; consider also the ratio of males to females
- well lit
- supervised for illegal activity, e.g. drugs
- kept clean at all times to reinforce appropriate behaviour
- have doors that can be quickly opened in an emergency
- have cubicles with adequate upper and lower clearance – doors should provide privacy but allow for the detection of illegal activity or any medical issues, e.g. vomiting.
