Hotel watch on intoxication

Press, 28 July 1986, Page 7

Hotel watch on intoxication

PA Auckland Lion Corporation will train its hotel staff in detecting and controlling drunken bar patrons. Lion and its subsidiary, New Zealand Breweries, have an interest in about 250 hotels.

It was filming in Auckland yesterday for a video which will be shown with lectures to staff from next month.

The brewery’s public relations manager, Mr Des Fitzgerald, said the company hoped to help staff recognise intoxication in people who come to a bar after drinking elsewhere.

“Recognising that will not be too difficult,” he said.

“What is difficult is being vigilant - keeping an eye on customers who

are having liquor bought for them. “Also difficult is judging at what point someone Is drinking towards a danger point; then, how to tell them that they can’t have any more. “It is not easy, but we have to learn to cope with it

“Bars nowadays have games and entertainment and food as well as grog. We would be delighted if someone stopped drinking to have a meal or play a game.

“We have no need to sell more litres of beer as a way of Improving profit now that price control on beer has been abolished.” The Hotel Workers’ Union last week called for curbs on both violence and sexist behaviour in hotel bars.