Managing Under Age Drinking

[+Scooby+]

If it is on licensed premises, surely it is the responsibility of the license holder to be the enforcing body?

We try to run well managed responsible events available to a wide audience. This particular venue is well run and of a good calibre and capacity which is needed when you add expensive gimmicks.


In an effort not to compromise the venues licence we offer this facility at our expense to help eliminate pressure at the bar and aid any problems we are throwing at him by dealing with a difficult mix of age groups.


Our security bill alone for this event is nearly £300.00 so we take our responsibilities very seriously. What I did do from the start was always allow our security staff and the venue owners too develop there own policies regarding general protocols as I thought they were best qualified to do this .


I must admit I did expect a telling off on this forum for running mixed aged gig but so far you have been lenient.

[Flex]

Its actually quite common. A number of venues who have live bands on are allowed 14+ in. This makes absolute sense as this is where most of the local bands have their fan bases. I DJ'd at an indi night a couple of years ago the doors open at 8 bands were on until 11 at which point the club night started until 2.30 (most of the kids left around 11 anyway). It was a headache making sure the kids didn't get served or got others to buy drinks. However its a great way to get youth introduced to live music and club nights. We used the coloured wrist bands as described and a member of security stood by the bar all evening whilst 2 others patrolled the club. Yes it is expensive and the licensing boards were a bit paranoid but it is well worth it and very well patronised. Out of this Dundee has recently produced a whole crop of bands which are now getting national recognition (The View, The Law, Magdelan Green, Non Zero, Speyside, Alamos to name a few). Keep it up. Nights like these keep them off the streets and teaches them how to behave within clubs and they are less likely to go try to sneak into places and get into trouble.