Be a Responsible Host

Kia Tika te Tiaki

All licensed premises within Masterton are required to have a written Host Responsibility Policy.

A guide and sample Host Responsibility Policy (PDF, 2MB)

This policy should be made available to all staff and displayed in some form for both patrons and staff.

Minors

When you are writing your policy you should consider the following points:

• How will you ensure that all of your staff are aware of the designation of your premises? This will determine ‘who’ is allowed on, and to drink at, your premises. In your policy include the designation and what this means in terms of who is allowed on the premises.
• How will you ensure that all your staff are trained on their responsibilities under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 in relation to minors?
• What instructions will you give staff to ensure that they know how to identify and proactively deal with minors?
• What strategies will you have in place to deal with minors?
• Are all staff fully aware of what forms of identification to request from potentially underage minors entering your premises? Who will ask them to leave?
  • Tip: In your policy outline how you will ensure that all staff are trained and how they will receive clear instructions on their responsibilities under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 in regards to minors.
• Do you have appropriate signage displayed at every point of service regarding not serving minors?
  • Tip: Include your commitment to always displaying such signage in your policy.

Intoxication

All your staff must be trained in their responsibilities to prevent intoxication on a licensed premises. Staff require clear instructions on identifying and proactively dealing with potentially intoxicated persons. The ability of the staff to identify signs at the onset as opposed to the escalation of intoxication is integral to meeting the requirements prohibiting intoxication on licensed premises.

You should consider the following points:

• How will you ensure that all your staff are trained in their responsibilities in relation to intoxicated patrons?
• What instructions will you give to staff to ensure that they know how to identify and proactively deal with potentially intoxicated persons?
• What strategies will you have in place to deal with potentially intoxicated persons? i.e will you offer free soft drinks, tea, coffee to potentially intoxicated patrons.
• How will you slow them down?
• Which staff have the authority to ask patrons to leave?
• What is the line of authority?
  • Tip: In your policy, outline how you will ensure that all staff are trained and will receive clear instructions on their responsibilities with regard to potentially intoxicated patrons. Also outline your strategies for dealing with potentially intoxicated patrons.
• Do you have appropriate signage displayed at every point of service regarding not serving intoxicated patrons?
  • Tip: Include your commitment to always displaying such signage in your policy.

Intoxication Assessment Tool (PDF, 153KB)

Food

A condition of your licence is that food must be available at all times when the premises are authorised to be open for the sale of alcohol.

The range and style of food must be similar in style and nature to that shown on the menu accompanying the licence application. Orit could be a range of snack foods in the nature of pies, sandwiches, filled rolls, and pizzas. A range is considered to be a minimum of three food options.

You should consider the following points:

• Do you have signage promoting food?
• How will you ensure that staff are aware of the food options (menu) available at all times?
• Do you have a minimum of three food options available at off-peak times?
  • Tip: in your policy, include your systems for ensuring that all staff are aware of the food options at all times.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

A condition of your licence requires that a reasonable range of non-alcoholic refreshments are available at all times when the premises are open for the sale of alcohol.

You should consider the following points:

• Do you offer a range of non-alcoholic refreshments to patrons at all times?
• Do you have water freely available to patrons at all times?
• How are these non-alcoholic alternatives promoted? Are they promoted by signage, featured in the beverage menu, or both?

Low-Alcohol Beverages

Your licence requires that low-alcohol refreshments are available at all times when the premises are open for the sale of alcohol. You should consider the following points:

• Do you offer low-alcohol refreshments to patrons at all times?
• How are these non-alcoholic alternatives promoted? Are they promoted by signage, featured in the beverage menu, or both?
  • Tip: in your policy include a description of the low-alcohol refreshment you will have available e.g., beer and that it will be available and promoted at every bar/point of service by way of signage, or as a feature in the beverage menu.

Safe Transport Options

A condition of your licence is that the licensee provides assistance with, or information about, alternative forms of transport from the licensed premises for both staff and patrons. You should consider the following points:

• What strategies do you have in place to ensure that both staff and patrons get home safely from your premises e.g., make a telephone readily available to arrange sober transport (taxi or private), a courtesy van, or operate a designated driver scheme?
• How do you promote these alternative forms of transport to the public?
• How do you ensure all staff are aware of these strategies?