You’re not coming in tonight…
**My mum would not have been proud of me on Tuesday night. Quite frankly, I was a bit of a dickhead. Like hundreds of other Warwick students, I wanted to worship at the shining temple of vodbulls and hazardous steps that is Smack. **
Like hundreds of others, I found myself locked outside the temple, angry and puzzled in the cold. After around forty minutes of the bouncer turned around and kindly informed us that the club was at capacity and we should ‘go home’.
This from a man who had spent the previous half hour shuffling us around berating us for pushing. I was pushed to my limit, the buzz of pre-drinks having worn off, and felt the need to let it out. So I swore. And although I didn’t mean it as a ‘fuck you’ to the entire bouncer profession, I think it is high time to realise that there is a serious problem with the current relationship between bouncers and students in Leamington Spa.
Currently, every bouncer is regulated by the Security Industry Authority, a non-departmental Quango. Every bouncer has actually attained a qualification called the Level 2 Award in Door Supervision. Of course, there are hundreds of thousands who are a pleasure to deal with. Or if not a pleasure, they’re not a noticeable stain on the night out.
{{ quote It is the responsibility of club management to realise that their patrons are not being treated right. }}
For example, I’ve found the majority of SU bouncers to be professional and humane, staying calm even when dealing with the dregs of society such as the drunken residue of Pop! But anecdotal evidence and personal experience have proved this is not the case with a lot of clubs in Leamington.
This isn’t to say the blame should be placed on the industry’s requirements; it is the responsibility of club management to realise that their patrons aren’t being treated right.
Talking about bouncers and respect is always a sticky subject. As my own behaviour proved, it’s not like every student doffs their cap in a show of thanks when they get through the door.
They work in an environment fuelled by drink and anticipation. Nobody likes standing in a queue. However, I’d much rather have an authoritative bouncer who ensures that my night is safer in the club than one who lets in every Leamington low-life imaginable.
Equally, overcrowding has been a serious safety concern, The fine line between authority and bullying is often breached though, usually in strangely petty ways.
Whether Smack, Evolve (or even Shades) there needs to be a drastic revision of the methods bouncers are using. Most of the times, communication is the main issue.
If you’re waiting a queue, it’s a lot more manageable if the endpoint is tangible and progress is being made. Students generally need to make more of an effort to get along with those bouncers who are doing their jobs correctly.
With some fine tuning queuing can be reduced to a smooth, relatively tranquil process, rather than the defining aspect of the night. And I can stop embarrassing my mother by swearing at bouncers.
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