Following the death of two people in a freak accident at a Church Street pub on Friday, police have instructed rooftop pubs and bars to have a six-feet-tall barrier to curb accidents.
Pavan Attavar, employee of The Printers Mysore Ltd and Vedha, techie with IBM, lurched to death through a hazardously placed window with flimsy blinds and no grille. CCTV footage indicates they would have survived had the pub put in some thought into the safety of customers.
Metrolife spoke to pubs about the safety of their customers, and many said they took extra care when it came to intoxicated customers.
Allow overnight car parking
Prasanna Kumar, partner, Output at Brew and Barbeque, says, “We take responsibility of booking cabs, and customers have the option to park their vehicle at our premises overnight and pick it up the next day. We recommend customers use lifts under the supervision of a bouncer till their vehicle or cab arrives.”
Refuse to serve more alcohol
Amit Ahuja, owner, The Open Box, says more people take cabs when they go out drinking.
Thanks to the police initiatives, they are aware of the repercussions of drunk driving,” he says. The pub also deploys its valets to drop drunk guests home and bears the expense of the cab and the driver.
Self-drives has dropped and people are consciously opting for chauffeurs and cabs. “We often refuse to serve more if a person is out of his limits. The idea of constructing a six-feet tall barrier is a good initiative and pubs must comply,” says Amit.
Make sure they don’t drive
Dilip Nair, director of operations, 1131 Bar and Kitchen and House of Commons, says, “At the fundamental level, we have safety in mind. All our floors are fully secured with proper fire exits and high railings. The floor senior captain and outlet manager escort the guests to their cabs and we make sure they don’t get behind a wheel.”
Serve lemon juice as antidote
Tipsy Bull, with three outlets in the city, offers lemon juice to help guests sober down.
Joseph Chen, general manager, Tipsy Bull, says, “We also keep an eye on our guests and stop them if they cross the limit. We collect the bill and ask them to go home. To curb any accidents, one of our bouncers escorts them in the lift to the ground floor and waits for the cab to arrive.”
Do drunk customers object when they are asked to leave?
“It is the other way round: arguments take place between the staff and the ones who are not tipsy in a group. They say, ‚We will take care, what is the problem?’ As long as a guest is on our premises, it is our responsibility.” Tipsy Bull, he says, also make sure guests take the lift and not the staircase if they are unsteady.
If customers are not in a position to stand, bouncers carry them on chairs to the ground floor. “Besides booking cabs for our guests, we have, at times, called up their friends and allow them to leave behind their vehicles,” says Joseph.
Offer breathalysers after party
The Yellow Submarine Beer Deck and Dining, is equipped with three alcohol meters to check how much a person has drunk. Raghunandan Prasad, owner, says, “As customers leave, we ask if they would like to take a test.” Customers are amused and that is the main reason they take the test. “In the process, it makes them aware of how much liquor they have consumed,” he says. This place has also tied up with cab services and can pick up and drop a guest if the request is made in advance. “We seldom get people who drink alone. It is usually a group and every group has a level-headed person. We can’t force anyone to take a cab,” says Prasad.
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