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Breathalysers in clubs
Operation Equinox, which has been running since October, aims to reduce violent crime in the capital by targeting hot spots like licensed venues and fast food outlets. As part of the operation, the Met are piloting a breathalyser system on entry to nightclubs in six London boroughs, giving the door staff the power to breath test clubgoers they believe to be intoxicated and refuse them entry. The positive test limit is 80mg, just over twice the legal drink drive limit.
The idea is to crack down on people tanking up before they hit the clubs, therefore reducing drink-related violence and increase clubber safety. The scheme has already been tested in Croydon, and Chief Inspector Gary Taylor said it seemed to be working, telling The Evening Standard, “They have told us that it did help reduce violence and confrontations involving door staff. The breathalyser helped to stop people who were persistently trying to get into clubs when they clearly had to too much to drink.”
The whole breathalyser scheme comes at an unfortunate time for the capital’s nightlife. There has been a wave of club closures – Plastic People, Madame Jojo’s – and drug deaths at fabric forced a license review at the end of last year. Although the issues of alcohol-related violence and drug safety are not directly linked, the two are becoming conflated, resulting in a very real feeling that the authorities are curbing London’s vibrant nightlife. Clubbers are already subjected to invasive security measures – the conditions of fabric’s license include sniffer dogs and ID scanners at the entrance – and London bouncers already use their power to its fullest extent, as anyone who had been partying in the capital well knows. We shouldn’t have to add breathalyser tests to this list too.
The problem is that the authorities’ opinions on alcohol levels and the amount people actually drink on a night out are markedly different. People also have different limits and tolerances. The whole system also appears to be too rigid in its approach, as there is no flexibility regarding different types of clubs – people going to an all-nighter they’re obviously going to fill up more beforehand to sustain themselves compared to those who want a drink, a dance and a kebab before 2am.
Furthermore, denying people entry to a nightclub is not addressing the root of binge drinking or spread of dodgy gear. It’s a classic case of tackling the symptoms rather than the cause, something that seems to be the habit of the police these days. The issues underpinning the breathalyser plan could be addressed in a more positive and constructive way, like at The Warehouse Project in Manchester, who operate drug warnings and a drug testing scheme in partnership with Greater Manchester Police.
Ultimately this whole scheme represents a win for the police, the bouncers and the clubs, as people will be forced to spend more money inside, and a big loss for London clubbers.
