The layout and design of licensed venues may influence the drinking patterns of patrons and consequent behaviour.
- Ensure the internal venue layout allows patrons to move easily between key parts of the venue such as the entrance, bar, dance floors, toilets and emergency exits.
- Adequate space and seating should be provided for the numbers admitted.
- Queues into the venue should be monitored by crowd controllers ensuring there is no interference with pedestrians and the queue behaviour is acceptable. Persons displaying orderly or intoxicated behaviour should be refused entry.
Licensees have responsibility to ensure liquor is sold responsibly and lawfully.
Beverage Containers:
- Consider serving sizes. For example no large glasses, jugs or double/triple strength drinks.
Beverage Options:
- Free drinking water must be available to patrons at licensed events. Visit the Director’s policy on free drinking water: http://www.rgl.wa.gov.au/ResourceFiles/Policies/Drinking_Water.pdf
- Provision and promotion of mid and low strength alcohol and non-alcoholic alternatives.
- Food, coffee, tea or soft drinks should be readily accessible (at a reasonable cost).
- Discourage happy hours and drink promotions as they cause a rise in harm and do so in a way that is likely to cause in increased risk of consumption. Visit the Racing Gaming and Liquor website to view the Director's policy.
Staff:
- Ensure written house policies and code of conduct about how to manage patrons and prevent problems are well communicated to staff.
- Train and support staff to identify early signs of intoxication and delay or stop service as appropriate. This includes how to deal with rounds/shouts that contribute to undue intoxication. All staff must be RSA-trained (within 4 weeks of commencement of employment).
- Allocate staff to be spotters of intoxicated patrons. ‘Glassies’ and security staff are usually good people to allocate as a spotter as they are continually walking around the venue. It is important that the spotter communicates well with the rest of the staff, particularly those behind the bar.
- It is suggested that staff and crowd controllers vigorously check ID’s of patrons entering premises to reduce the risk of juveniles being served alcohol. It is illegal for juveniles to be served alcohol and significant penalties can apply to the Licensee, Approved Manager, bar staff who served the juvenile and the crowd controller responsible for admitting the juvenile.
- Those selling takeaway liquor also need to ensure that there is no service of alcohol to patrons who are intoxicated or to someone supplying liquor to a juvenile or intoxicated person.
- Generally, if responsible service training is supported and implemented by management, it tends to work in reducing levels of intoxication and reducing the chance of drunken patrons being served.
Signage:
The nature of the licensed venues will influence the drinking culture and pattern of use of alcohol.
Crowd Management:
- Brief staff and crowd controllers on non-aggressive patron management strategies to prevent problems before they arise.
- Ensure crowd controllers monitor bar areas to support bar staff to identify problematic or intoxicated patrons.
- Provide instructions to staff regarding how to identify intoxicated or underage patrons and refuse admission, and ensure the strategies are implemented.
Entertainment:
- Consider the entertainment that the venue is providing. Alcohol combined with the type of entertainment will influence a person’s mood and may encourage violence.
Venue Management and Promotion:
- Uphold dress standards of the licensed venues. This will affect the way in which the venue is perceived by patrons regarding behaviour standards.
- Develop procedures to respond to complaints and protect the amenity of the area.