As far as the hospitality sector goes, ‘incident’ might be considered something of a dirty word, conjuring worries about falling foul of licensing or criminal laws.
The reality is different. An ‘incident’, whilst not inevitable, is something which can periodically occur when you mix people, alcohol and nighttime venues. So, the trick is to prepare as much as possible and to know how to respond.
Anyone granted a hospitality licence should be fully aware of the need for compliance with every part of licensing laws, and the need for speedy and correct action when dealing with incidents in particular.
Whatever the incident – for example assault, drugs, potential harm to vulnerable clients – CCTV is your friend and your most important asset. Footage retention is crucial after an incident. Police are likely to make a CCTV footage request, either informally or through a formal request for disclosure. So, it’s paramount to ensure CCTV systems are running correctly, that they are regularly checked and monitored and that they are secure.
Records of any incident, no matter how small, should be scrupulous and up to date; what might seem like nothing much at the time could subsequently turn out to threaten licence or premises compliance, and it’s very much in the interests of the operator to ensure efficiency.
Managers and licence holders have so much to think about that there might be a temptation to tick the box and forget about matters like CCTV operation and incident reaction procedures.
But in the hospitality sector high staff turnover, even at more senior levels, can mean that those familiar with working systems and patterns have moved on and their replacements are not up to date with procedures. Added to that, licensing laws evolve and local authority licensing committees may interpret issues differently as administrations change.
It’s crucial to follow correct incident procedures to protect a licence and a venue’s operating conditions, and even the most seasoned operator’s premises will benefit from an update or ‘refresher’.
Complete Licensing’s array of experienced staff, all leaders in their field, can quickly and efficiently check a venue’s compliance details and review on-site procedures. It’s just one of the many services we offer and our expertise brings peace of mind, allowing venues to focus on ensuring their business run smoothly and profitably.