Bar staff in Liverpool have been given extra support to help them feel confident in refusing to serve under-aged and intoxicated drinkers.
Following a Merseyside Police operation to stop drunks being served in licensed premises, Joe Curren, Liverpool Chamber’s Night Time Economy Manager said: “We decided to give the bar staff support so that they could tackle these, sometimes difficult, issues.
“I want to ensure that they can’t be intimidated, assaulted, or abused when they have to refuse to serve people. In a first for the city, we’ve invited bar staff to take part in conflict resolution training run by Merseyside Police, combined with 08 Capital of Culture welcome training.”
The conflict resolution training gives direction to bar staff on how to look for warning and danger signs and how to resolve situations before they become confrontational. Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has also worked with Liverpool Trading Standards Officers to produce cards to present to customers and supporting posters, explaining why people have been refused service either if they can’t prove their age or have consumed too much.
Joe said: “The feedback that we’ve had is that these cards are particularly useful in local, suburban pubs where bar staff may know customers extremely well and may be embarrassed to refuse to serve someone.”
Police begin
Other police forces across the country are now beginning this training on the basis of Liverpool’s pilot scheme. Liverpool Chamber of Commerce is now is to roll out the conflict resolution for staff who work in off-licenses and late night take-ways shops, which can also be flash points.
Joe concluded by saying: “Early intervention such as, refusing to serve drunks, is beneficial in keeping crime down. If drunks are served, it creates a problem which has to be picked up later on by the Police, A&E or Ambulance Service. Bar staff are now telling us, as a result of the training that they feel more confident in refusing serving if they feel a customer is underage of intoxicated.” For further information;
