Two actors visited ten pubs in Bexley, southeast London, and managed to get served in every one of them despite reeking of alcohol, slurring their words, fumbling their change and shoving other customers on their way to the bar.

They later repeated the performance at a conference for local publicans and bar managers who insisted, unanimously, that they would be refused service and asked to leave. They were stunned when a senior police officer revealed: “You’ve already served them.”

Under current legislation, bar staff caught serving alcohol to intoxicated drinkers are liable for an £80 fixed penalty notice or a fine of up to £1,000.

Although the bar staff served the hired actors they can not be prosecuted because they were not actually drunk.

John Madden, chairman of the licensed trade body Guild of Master Victuallers, condemned the exercise as a waste of police time.

He said: ”It is a terrible idea and I am surprised the police think it is worth doing. They cannot prosecute anyone for serving an actor who is pretending to be drunk.

”I’m really not happy with this. At the end of the day it’s entrapment, but it’s entrapment where the staff haven’t done anything wrong because the actor isn’t even drunk.”

The fake drunks were hired from a local amateur dramatic group by Bexley Borough Council and Bexley Police, part of the Metropolitan Police, ahead of a seminar with 100 landlords, club managers and restaurant owners, on drink-related crime.

Chief Inspector Stephen Murrant, who organised the initiative, said: “I am disappointed that despite our efforts to educate and support licensees that staff saw fit to serve two outrageously behaved drunken actors.

“This has come as no surprise. In a recent survey of bar staff carried out in the borough, 98 per cent said they saw drunk customers on some or most of their shifts.

“We routinely monitor what goes on in all our licensed premises and we will be robust in our actions if we find licensees or their staff fuelling alcohol related disorder by serving customers who are drunk.”

Clive Cain, head of public protection at Bexley Council, said: ”Whilst it is illegal to serve a drunk, the law does not define when someone is drunk. This pioneering initiative has demonstrated the ease with which drunks can be served. It has highlighted the urgent need for improvements in training, advice and managerial support for bar staff.”

Section 141 of the Licensing Act 2003 bans the sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk. Bexley Police say the force rarely prosecutes landlords but reports findings to the council, which takes such instances into consideration when considering renewing licences to serve alcohol.

Scott Mackenzie, manager of the Blue Anchor in Bexley, claims it is getting more difficult for landlords because an increasing number of customers are drinking heavily before going to the pub. He claims cheap alcohol sold by supermarkets is the real problem.

He said: ”In my car park, every day we have to clear up bottles of this and that, which people drank before they came to the pub.”

Bexley Police are planning to step up their undercover initiative for the World Cup.

Suzi says:  This does highlight a problem with a lack of awareness and training within licensed premises.  It is ultimately the responsibility of the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) to ensure that staff are aware of the law and the consequences of “ignoring” the law.  With the grandfather rights that were handed out when the Licensing Act 2003 was introduced, many DPS, managers and other Personal Licence Holders are actually totally unaware of what the law says.  There are several courses which are ideal for bar staff and other employees of licensed premises that cover the Act and would also cover a premises with their “due diligence”.  beSmart Training offer courses for Personal Licence Holders as well as the BIIAB Award in Responsible Alcohol Retail (ideal for staff who don’t require a personal licence), and the BIIAB Level 2 National Certificate for Designate Premises Supervisors.

It is an employers legal obligation to ensure that first kits are available to all their employees and customers at all times.  So don’t delay…. check it now.  If you’re not sure what should be in your first aid kit, below is a list of minimum suggested contents:

• A guidance leaflet
• 20 adhesive dressings (individually wrapped and assorted sizes)
• 2 sterile eye pads
• 6 triangular bandages (individually wrapped and sterile)
• 6 medium sterile wound dressings (individually wrapped and unmedicated)
• 2 large sterile wound dressings (individually wrapped and unmedicated)
• 6 safety pins
• Disposable gloves

Also, if your risk assessment concludes a requirement, employers may include additional materials such as:

• Blunt tipped scissors
• Non-alcoholic wipes
• Micropore tape
• Disposable apron
• Protective equipment
• Clinical waste bag
• Special burns dressings

Remember, no creams, lotions or potions are permitted.  If you have no fresh mains tap water available, you should also consider having sterile eyewash available for the purpose of eye irrigation.  (Do not use sterile water if the seal has previously been broken, if it has already been used on another individual or if it is out-of-date.)

Whilst you’re at it, why not check that all your first aid certificates are still valid.  First Aid Certificates are valid for a maximum of three years so should be checked on a regular basis.  The Health and Safety Executive now also recommend that annual refresher training be undertaken to keep key skills practiced and up-to-date.

beSmart Training run both the one-day Emergency First Aid at Work and the three-day First Aid at Work courses at their London based training centre.   Please call Sue on 020 7237 6007 for prices and dates.

The BII has started the nationwide search for the 2010 BII Licensee of the Year. 

Judges are looking for individuals or partnerships who make the best of the resources they have available.

They could be running a community pub, a village local or a high-street bar and be able to demonstrate great business ability and a passion for the trade.
The winner will be announced at the BII’s annual lunch in May. The award absolutely epitomises everything that BII stands for – excellence, professionalism, standards, best practice.

The current holder of the title Philip Davison, licensee at the Sun in the Wood, Newbury, Berkshire, said: “To win such a prestigious award is amazing, but even if you’re not fortunate enough get through to the final stages, just entering will make you revalue your business, look at how you do things and certainly improve your profit.”

To enter online visit www.bii.org for more information call Joanna Buston on 01276 417802 or email joannab@bii.org .

You can watch a video of the history of the awards and apply here: http://bii.bii.org/events/awards/2010loya , the closing date for entries is Friday February 15 2010.

Suzi Says…

It’s always great when licencees get the recognition they deserve.

 The judging for the BII awards are notoriously rigourous. I imagine that they check that everything is in order, from up-to-date staff training, to good standards of health and safety, to keeping customers safe and well looked after. Philip makes the point that “just entering makes revalue your business”.

My tip would be that it’s always a good idea to double-check that your licenses and training are up-to-date. For example, have you checked how the changes to the HSE First Aid regulations will affect business? Are your door supervisors fully licensed?

Attending training can help you to update your skills as well as chat to fellow licensees and share ideas and inspiration. 

If you are a licensee currently looking to enter the BII Licensee of the Year Awards, or a first time publican in need of some NCPLH, First Aid or conflict management training, call us today 020 7237 6007 for our immediate attention.

Good Luck to anyone who is applying!

According to Gideon Ben-Tovim, chairman of Liverpool Primary Care Trust, as many as 70% of all recorded accident and emergency admissions during weekends are alcohol related and asserted the consistently high levels of binge drinking in the city – which is, to some extent, a reflection on nationwide levels.

The scheme makes a clear statement to those who a prone towards aggressive behaviour during nights out in the city centres, as the recording equipment can capture and document clear evidence in the event of a crime, which door supervisors are often witness to.

Strict regulatory measures are in place which will ensure that only Merseyside Police and Security firm will have access to captured footage. Should the initiative be extended to more popular nightclubs and bars in Liverpool – or indeed other cities with high levels of alcohol related violence – this could see a definite increase of convictions as the result of incriminating evidence caught on such devices.

So far so good for Liverpool authorities as evidence from the bars where the cams have been trialled over the past few weeks, have shown that they do indeed discourage incidents of aggression in door queues.

Commenting on the effect of such campaigns, Ben-Tovim further concluded that:

“These initiatives are not about preventing people from drinking but are about ensuring people across the city can enjoy alcohol in a responsible way that does not impact on themselves or other residents.”

The BIIAB Level 2 Award for Music Promoters (AMP) qualification is still in development but the first round of piloting has taken place and candidate feedback has been excellent. Among the first ‘students’ was Ray Paul, Executive Producer for Weekend Programming at BBC Radio 1, who commented: “I found the course invaluable and very thorough. I learnt many things about areas I knew little about and I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about working in, and promoting, events.”

Mike Anthony of BBC Radio 1 Xtra’s Rampage also took part in the pilot and he added: “Being on this workshop has highlighted aspects of the industry that are taken for granted and overlooked generally. This [qualification] will sort the men from the boys and improve a sector that needs desperate help. It also raises awareness, especially for new promoters, as well as encouraging a sense of responsibility.”

Fellow candidate Delon Edwards from Inc Group, commented that the qualification: “Will give confidence, I think, to larger corporate bookers that they have somebody who will look into the ‘ins and outs’ of running an event. I think if the team have this [qualification] it’s a step to professionalism.”

The AMP qualification, which is due to be launched in the new year, is considered to be the first step towards promoting and enhancing the standard, quality and legacy of promoters and events. This, in turn, will increase customers’ confidence and have a positive impact on stimulating the entertainments and leisure economy.

The project was instigated by the clubs and vice division of the Metropolitan Police who approached BIIAB, the market-leading awarding body for the licensed retail industry, to create a qualification which would encourage professionalism and best practice within this niche industry. Chief Inspector Adrian Studd of the Met Police Clubs and Vice Unit said: “BIIAB has our full support in the development of this award which we believe will help set and maintain the highest standards in the field of music promotion.”

Music promoters Pete Peart and Mark Clarke have made an invaluable input to the development of the qualification and they commented: “The whole idea of the course is to get active promoters to take a second look at their current methods used when organising events and for those that are entering the industry to understand and implement best practices.”

BIIAB is one of the few awarding bodies which pilots its qualifications to ensure they are fit for purpose before they are launched nationally. Candidates for the AMP pilot consisted of music promoters, club operators and various local authority representatives, including the police and council licensing officers. The pilot was held over two consecutive days and was concluded with a forty minute multiple choice examination. The AMP has already been accredited by the qualifications regulator Ofqual.

Feedback from the pilot will now be analysed and any necessary changes will be made before it is launched nationally in early 2010.

beSmart Training is hoping to offer this qualification when it is officially launched next year.  Watch this space for more info when it becomes available.  All beSmart Training’s courses are on our website at www.besmart-training.co.uk.

For the first time since the Licensing Act came into power in 2003, venues with a 100-person capacity or under will be able to put on live music without a licence if the proposal successfully navigates a 12-week public consultation.

Under the act every venue that puts on live music, from large concert halls to restaurants employing a pianist, must go through a licensing process many regard as expensive and over-complicated.

John Whittingdale, chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, called the proposals a “step in the right direction” but said they did not go far enough.

A report by the select committee in May said the 2003 act had been an overall success but that “absurd” licensing laws were damaging the live music scene.

“We have already had consultations; this has been debated interminably,” Whittingdale said yesterday. “Our recommendation was for venues of up to 200 people to be exempted and in our view the evidence for the exemption is clear and should be acted upon immediately.”

The government’s new proposal would go further than reintroducing the “two in a bar” exemption – which was in place before the 2003 act – which allowed non-amplified music by one or two musicians in a venue of any size. The new proposal, due to be debated in Westminster, would allow bands of any number to play amplified music in small venues, a government source said.

Some will be dissatisfied that the government’s new proposal does not go far enough to solve the 2003 act’s problems, while other groups, such as local councils and police forces, who have been vehemently opposed to any exemptions to the act, are likely to be critical. The licensing minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, is expected to say there are already sufficient measures in place to deal with noise and anti-social behaviour, but the government will prevent problematic venues from holding gigs if there are complaints made against them. How this would be put into practice remains unclear.

Sutcliffe is not expected to mention form 696, which MPs and campaigners want scrapped, arguing that it is “potentially racist”. The Metropolitan police recently changed the form, which previously requested details of the ethnic groups likely to attend a gig and the type of music being performed, to shift the target to promoted late-night events that feature MCs and DJs, rather than live music.

Even with the changes, Whittingdale said the form was “unnecessary”, adding that sectors of the industry believed it unfairly targeted certain types of black music.

Speaking before the review announcement, Horace Trubridge, assistant general secretary of the Musicians’ Union, said smaller venues had seen a marked drop in business because of the act and artists were becoming impatient. “Consultations are a great way of deferring a decision, and it is a shame that nobody in government has been brave enough to say ‘Come on, let’s try it’, even if it had to be revised later down the line,” he said.

The proposed exemption – which will not include venues with DJs – is expected to take “a few months”, but ministers are confident it will be “tight but possible” to do it quickly.

That timescale is likely to be met with cynicism from campaigners, who have already taken part in six years of legislation, eight consultations, two government research projects, two national review processes and a parliamentary select committee report, according to UK Music….

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have introduced the biggest change to The Health and Safety (First Aid) at Regulations laws since they were introduced in 1982.

The update could save UK businesses millions of pounds.

The biggest change is to the mandatory four day course, now reduced to three days, and the introduction the  Emergency First Aid at Work course, a new one day course option designed for small businesses .

The new guidelines were produced on the back of consultation with employers across the UK, who understood the need for first-aid training but found it difficult to release employees for the four days needed.

You can read more about the new First Aid legislation and employers legal duties on the HSE website.

Peter says…

This is an excellent change that will save businesses (especially small businesses) time and money without compromising on health and safety.

More importantly, this new guidance could even lead to safer workplaces, as it recommends that trained first aiders undertake a three hour refresher training session every year. 

The new three day FAW (First Aid at Work) training course will have less impact on businesses, but will still deliver the same key skills taught under the old system.

An excellent idea for ensuring those skills are retained.
beSmart Training offer both the three-day First Aid at Work course and the one-day Emergency First Aid at Work course. 

Click here for the latest course dates or call on 020 7237 6007 and speak to Sue.

Marie Vaillant and chef Patrick Beck, of the Griffin Hotel, Toddington, Bedfordshire worked together to remove a piece a gammon which had become lodged in the woman’s throat.

Patrick performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on the customer 10 times, until eventually Marie lifted out the two centimetre piece of meat.

Marie, a tenant at the Greene King pub, said: “It was really lucky that Patrick was here. He just jumped in and used his first aid skills to save the woman.
“She was quite frail, and had turned blue from lack of oxygen, so we had to be careful not to bruise her.”

Marie, who is also trained in first aid, added: “The ambulance service came within five minutes, I was really impressed. But luckily the woman did not even have to go to hospital. She was quite embarrassed though.”
Just two days after the incident Marie and Patrick both received commendations from the ambulance service for their actions.

Gary Sanderson, a spokesman for the ambulance service, said: “The quick thinking and rapid interventions by Marie and Patrick has no doubt saved this woman’s life. They must be very proud of themselves – well done.”

Source: The Publican

Suzi Says…

There is no doubt about it, First Aiders save lives. As this story prooves, it’s not just Fonr-of-House staff that it is important to train. Any employees can be called upon to help a customer with any number of problems.

Ensure that your staff are ready, trained and confident in what to do. Call us for First Aid training 020 7237 6007.

Customers will also be entitled to free tap water, and soft drinks must be sold at a reasonable price. The changes will be watched carefully in England, where licensing laws have come under attack for being too soft.

Shops selling alcohol need a designated premise supervisor, who must be a personal licence holder and must be present whenever alcohol is being sold. Previously, a licence was required only for the premises.

Scottish firms that train bar staff have told clients that the new Act effectively outlaws asking customers “Same again?” because it could lead the customer into buying another drink.

Whilst I am all for reducing binge drinking, it gets silly when you can’t enjoy a drink with a bit of pub banter don’t you think?

For full details of the alcohol licensing courses available at BeSmart Training please visit the website.

Winchester Cathedral is seeking a new premises licence to allow the sale of alcohol in church.

The council’s licensing committee are meeting consider the application which consolidates two existing alcohol licences for the building and its grounds.

But local businessman Martin Wilson, has voiced his opposition, linking the licence application to anti-social behaviour.
 
In a letter to the council, Mr Wilson said: “Despite regular reporting of anti-social behaviour and unregulated drinking to the police, it seems their already stretched resources prohibit intervention, the cathedral regularly posts a member of their security team to the area, who I have not once seen intervene to limit anti-social behaviour. ”

He added: “To open the area to a licence will seek to encourage the unregulated consumption of alcohol in what is central to the Alcohol Exclusion Zone.”

The cathedral say the licence is required to allow the holding events such as the Food and Wine Show.

No matter where the alcohol licence is for, it is essential that you are always fully licensed to retail it.

Here at beSmart we offer all the training required to become a designated premise supervisor, responsible acohol retailer and personal licence holder.

For information on our courses please visit the beSmart website.