Negligent nightclub bar security can be the cause of the Death of a Nightclub.
A pattern of poor management decisions can cause negligent nightclub bar security. I’ve seen it many times. A bad reputation with the police or liquor licensing agency has forced many nightclubs and bars to close their doors for failing to control assaultive crime on the premises.
As a security consultant, I often get calls at the eleventh hour to try to salvage the dangerous reputation of a nightclub that is threatened with closure. In most cases, it is apparent to me what needs to be done to cure the problem, but often times it is too late to save the club.
If we could rewind the scenario, we would find that the death of a nightclub comes slowly and there were many telltale symptoms along the way that were not heeded. For popular nightclubs to operate safely, managers must look beyond the bottom line to ensure the long-term health of a club.
Nightclubs are designed to be hospitable social meeting places but are first and foremost in business to make money. The product being sold is social interaction and entertainment that’s paid for by selling alcoholic beverages, food services, or collecting door cover charges.
Management determines the intended atmosphere and music format of the club. The venue location, music format, and marketing determine what demographic group will go to the club. The demographic group and their behavior will determine whether bouncers are necessary to control their conduct.
As you can imagine, a nightclub that markets itself to young adults in an effort to become the next hotspot is destined to have a few conduct problems. Clubs ordained as the new hot club begins to lose control when financial greed replaces reason.
Many clubs will promote drink specials such as two-for-one pitchers of beer or oversized margaritas that encourage sales and overindulgence. Some clubs will advertise ladies’ night drink specials to attract more female patrons and pack the house.
Club managers can dial down the intensity of a club at any time by modifying the club music format, amount of door charge, limiting the number of patrons admitted, adopting stricter dress codes, and altering, or toning down the advertising.
Without a liquor license, a trendy nightclub cannot survive for long. Liquor licenses are issued by the state liquor control board and are subject to suspension and revocation if certain conditions are not met.
The most common condition is simply to comply with the law. That is, don’t sell to minors, don’t sell after-hours, don’t sell to intoxicated persons, and don’t sell off-site.
Other conditions require the nightclub operator not to run unsafe or unsanitary businesses and to self-report violent incidents.
The city or county usually imposes additional regulations by way of issuing a business license or conditional use permit to operate a nightclub. These regulations are commonly called a business license, a dance permit, or a cabaret license, for example.
These additional regulations are enforced by the county, city, or sometimes by the police or sheriff and are also subject to suspension or revocation. These regulations give the municipality an additional “hammer” to put pressure on a club that utilizes too many police resources.
For example, if the police get too many calls for service at a particular club they will issue warnings and/or threaten to revoke the permit or license. Incidents like fights, shootings, drug overdoses, and evidence of over-intoxication will attract the scrutiny of the permit officer. Other issues like alcohol service to a minor and overcrowding of the club will also be criticized.
Nightclubs usually are not welcome neighbors. From the first day of posting the notice to obtain a license, there will be a protest from the neighbors or from other businesses in the area.
Once in business, nightclubs will receive a higher than the average number of complaints. The most common is noise, litter, traffic, loitering, parking problems, graffiti, and area vandalism. It’s important for a nightclub to be a good neighbor but it’s difficult when the club operates primarily on weekend nights.
In my experience, clubs that fail made little or no effort to maintain good relations with adjacent business operators or residents. Neighborhood groups or other adjacent businesses make formidable enemies at license or permit revocation hearings.
The police are a community resource available to all commercial businesses. Nightclubs that fail often have a reputation for not cooperating fully with the police. Club operators believe that if they call the police too frequently their liquor license could be in jeopardy. This is not a correct assumption.
Instead, clubs hire bouncers to enforce club rules and attempt to keep order without police intervention. Unfortunately, bouncers are often ill-equipped to handle huge nightclub crowds and often do so in an illegal manner. See my web page on Bouncers Need Training.
In many cases, bouncers have not called the police in time to prevent a major incident from occurring. These major incidents are often the trigger that sets the license revocation process in motion.
Most nightclubs have a critical-intensity period that begins thirty minutes before closing time.
As you can imagine, once the “last call” is announced a major exodus takes place. Within thirty minutes or less, hundreds of high-spirited club patrons are ushered out into the parking lot or street in their most intoxicated state. If you are going to have a serious melee it will happen at this point.
Also, consider the dozens of highly intoxicated drivers hitting the street. In some cities, the entire police watch must be pulled from other beats to oversee the closure of a popular nightclub. From the police perspective, this is an abuse of police resources and creates an unnecessary hazard for the officers.
Clubs that fail make little effort to mitigate the impact of closing or invite the police to offer workable solutions. Failed club managers mistakenly believed it was solely the duty of law enforcement to handle crowds on the public streets and not their responsibility. At the club license or permit revocation hearing, they are taught otherwise.
Most failed nightclubs received multiple warning letters, fines, or suspensions before losing their liquor license. Based on the warnings, it should have been no surprise that license and permit revocation was possible.
In my experience, however, club managers either didn’t believe it would happen or didn’t know how to bring the club under control. In some cases, club management was just too arrogant and too busy making money to take the warning seriously. They would rather just pay the fine, again, if caught violating the law. The majority of their efforts went into not getting caught.
When the day of reckoning comes either the state liquor control board or local permit officer will order a hearing. Many times the club will receive a license or permit suspension notice pending the outcome of the hearing.
At the hearing, the police will bring stacks of documentation of the excessive calls for service to the nightclub and about violence associated with the club. Each serious incident will be examined (under a microscope) as evidence of an out-of-control and dangerous club. Often in attendance are neighborhood witnesses testifying about constant fighting, public drunkenness, high-speed driving, and about shots being fired near their homes.
I often get frantic calls at this point to see if I can assist in salvaging their club by adopting an eleventh-hour security plan but it is usually too late. In its defense, the club can only say it was not its fault or that spontaneous external events were not within its control.
The club will promise anything to the licensing board to get a second chance to cure the problem. But in my experience, it is too little, too late.
Once the liquor license and operating permits are revoked, the nightclub is dead. RIP.
Download the 115-page eBook written by Security Expert Chris E. McGoey
Chris McGoey has authored a tremendous practical guide about premises liability litigation for attorneys, security consultants, risk managers, landlords, law enforcement, and business operators.
Click the Buy Now button. Pay via PayPal or Credit-Debit Cards
Contact Security Consultant Chris E. McGoey
Premises Security Expert; Premises Liability Security Expert; Service area: Eastern and southern USA, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida. After 39 years of serving California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington.
My biography spans 54 years studying, evaluating, and developing security plans worldwide. I'm a habitual skeptic, a chronic people watcher, a golf fanatic, and a relentless traveler.
Email | Twitter
I have been listening to this podcast now for several months. It is one of the best sources of information concerning crime, security, and ways of making your home and business safe. Keep up the good work. Thank you for all you do to help so many people. DJ in Scottsburg, IN Interesting, provocative, relevant and riveting
July 29, 2017 by Lindapre from United States
This is a very valuable service and I appreciate this high level of expertise to keep me knowledgeable, safe and sound. Everyone should subscribe and stay well-informed. Thanks Chris! 10 reasons why burglars might choose your home
July 28, 2017 by binwoodside from United States
I am not one of those people who believes there is a bad guy behind every bush but Chris offers good advice that can be very useful to all of us. His tips can prevent us experiencing a home robbery due to our own carelessness. It amazes me that people use social media to advertise their absence from their homes. There are plenty of other points of carelessness Chris describes that also advertises to burglars. His voice is easy to understand and listen. Educational eye-opening strategies for crime prevention
October 22, 2015 by taylor826 from United States
He pretty much covers the gamut of high-risk scenario from personal safety to commercial property security. He provides insights to how criminals could perceive potential victims as vulnerable. I don't own commercial property or a business, but the security best practices he outlines which mitigate potential crimes in multiple industries, also increases my awareness to avoid such businesses/locations that don't implement those policies. You don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Excellent content
July 1, 2015 by Ken Burgin from Australia
Chris has been the ‘crime doctor’ for many businesses over the years - not much he hasn’t seen and fixed! Great to have his expertise coming to us directly through his podcast interviews. Highly recommended! Crime School Radio is a Winner!
June 18, 2015 by Liquor License Advisor from United States
As a security expert, Chris McGoey was and continues to be a trailblazer. First, his informative website and book. Now this convenient, cutting-edge and educational podcast. Chris has an uncanny knack for knowing just what the world needs. With this show, he delivers vital information on safety and security in plain language that everyone can benefit from. Helpful Content for Retail and LEO
May 21, 2015 by StandardOfTruth from United States
Chris is an industry expert with real world experience. It is also refreshing to hear a security podcast with crystal clear audio and presented in a professional way. Fantastic! Informative and relevant.
May 13, 2015 by isntrocketscience from United States
I have seen Chris McGoey several times as a security expert on TV so I was curious to hear his Crime School podcast. As expected the podcast provides valuable information for keeping us safe and useful ideas for everyday life. I plan to listen to every episode. Keep 'em coming Chris. Home Security Safe Room
May 13, 2015 by TimInArizona from United States
Outstanding! Very thorough. I would like to see police departments link to this audio as part of their crime prevention education of their citizens. Great show about crime and loss prevention
May 12, 2015 by CrimeRx from United StatesChris E. McGoey CPP, CSP, ICPS, CAM
McGoey Security Consulting
Jonesborough, Tennessee
951-461-8950
Chris@CrimeDoctor.com
