By Andrew Starke
Tasmanian Minister for Hospitality, David O’Byrne, said that the Government is committed to rolling out a UK-styled ‘Pub Watch’ scheme to control violent behavior.
“Pub Watch is a program that has been successfully curbing alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour around pubs and night spots in the United Kingdom for over 30 years,” he said.
“The investment of $30,000 in this year’s budget to establish a Pub Watch scheme is just one of the ways the Government is helping the hospitality industry deliver services and jobs for the benefit of all Tasmanians.”
About 23,000 people work in the state’s hospitality industry.
It is envisaged that the Pub Watch scheme will enable participating hotel and nightclub operators to better manage banned patrons.
According to O’Byrne, refusing admission and services to those who cause trouble around pubs and night spots has proven to have a significant impact on anti-social behaviour with reductions across parts of the UK being as high as 80 percent, with the average at about 50 percent.
“Pub Watch will be a communication scheme between our hotels, pubs and night spots,” he said.
“It will allow them to share information to prevent banned patrons who engage in antisocial behaviour towards other patrons and members of staff from entering other venues.
“Holding patrons responsible for their actions and banning patrons from all venues for a period of time will create an environment where this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.”