So what’s the difference between a Bar and a Tavern?
They are really the same thing. Both have to be legally licensed to sell alcohol. Both often offer food as well as drinks.
A Bar gets its name from the long counter which runs around the serving area. A Bar also has a ‘back bar’ which is the area behind the server, which has shelves (often glass), beer pumps, optics and bottles.
In Sixteenth Century England, a Tavern (sometimes called a Pot House) was different from a “Public Ale House” (which is where the name “Pub” originated). Taverns were not open to the public but were privately run establishments where guests were invited to drink.
Keeping Your Drinking Establishment Safe
Running a Bar or Tavern is hard work. The hours are long and it can be very hectic – trying to keep all of your patrons – and staff – happy. You may not have had time to seriously consider security but whether you run a Bar, a Tavern or another establishment that sells drinks such as a cocktail place – you need to protect your business from crime.
The most common crime is that of employees stealing from you. It is estimated that around 47% of losses to all businesses can be attributed to staff stealing from their employers.
In a Bar or Tavern, this could take the form of “Sweethearting” where your employees give free drinks to friends or it could be simple theft from the cash register. To deter this theft, you should have a surveillance camera set up over each cash register so that every transaction can be clearly seen. We provide a system which overlays each transaction with the receipt, the time and date. This makes it easy for you to pinpoint where theft has occurred. Employees may also steal stock.
Is Your Food Safe?
If your establishment also sells food, this may also be a target for employee theft. They may give free meals to friends or steal from the kitchen.
Having surveillance cameras in your kitchen as well as entrances and exits will show you if theft is occurring.
It is also a useful tool to see if Staff are following Health and Safety regulations. This is obviously crucial for any food vendor as you could be closed down for not following recommended protocols.
Theft from Outside
Bars and Taverns are good targets for thieves as these are businesses that can take a lot of money, especially on particularly busy nights such as Fridays, Saturdays and special nights where there has been entertainment such as a singer or band playing.
Your stock is also very attractive to thieves, either for their own consumption or to sell on to a third party.
Surveillance is hugely important to deter thieves and if they still attempt a robbery – to identify, catch and prosecute them.
Violence
The very nature of a Bar or Tavern means that there are a lot of people who have drunk a lot of alcohol. Tempers can flare and fights may break out. Patrons may be abusive or even violent to other customers or to members of your staff.
Surveillance footage will help you to see what happened and how it may have been prevented by early intervention. If someone is hurt and puts in a claim against you, the footage is a valuable tool in seeing what actually happened.
Recent Comments