Clubs to crack bad eggs
A GLITTER Strip bar boss is calling for unity to wipe problem patrons from the night scene when compulsory ID scanning starts this weekend.
Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association (SPLVA) boss Tim Martin said if one nightspot banned a troublemaker, he wanted all nightspots in the precinct to do the same.
The general manager of popular Surfers Paradise clubs Sin City and Bedroom said a SPLVA subcommittee of own- ers and managers were drawing up a code of conduct for how long bans should last, depending on “offences”.
“We’re trying to get unity among venues so everyone is aware of what the ban time frames and punishments will be for certain offences.
“It would be disappointing to find out some venues are letting certain people in when others are not letting them in,” Mr Martin said.
Harsher bans for violence had to be balanced with people who had made silly mistakes, he said. “We are looking at horseplay as opposed to assault causing injury.”
ID scanners linked to a central statewide database will be compulsory for bars trading after midnight in entertainment precincts such as Surfers and Broadbeach unless the venue has an exemption. Sin City, Bedroom, Shooters and Underground were all early adopters and have been ID scanning with the machines for months. Bars must legally start scanning IDs from 10pm if staying open after midnight or face a $1219 fine for each person let in without a check.
The database will red flag patrons trying to enter if they have a police or court-ordered bar ban anywhere in Queensland.
But venues themselves can put patrons on the ban list and Mr Martin said while each nightspot would have their own policies, the code of conduct would give general guidelines to follow.
He said he had decided Sin City and Bedroom would ban any patrons other Surfers venues had decided to block and he hoped other nightspots would adopt the same approach.
Mr Martin said the subcommittee would also allow patrons facing bar-ordered bans to appeal the decision if “they feel they are unfairly banned”.
The Bulletin revealed in March that police and bars were banning three troublemakers a day on average from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach entertainment precincts.
The figure, almost 100 a month, did not include bans by individual nightclubs and is expected rise when ID scanning is compulsory from July 1.
Compulsory scanning has been introduced by State Government as part of its laws aimed at tackling alcohol-related violence.
The scanners cost venues about $100 a week and require having a security guard to man it.