There is no need for extra security measures at Ottawa bars and nightclubs, say some Centretown bar operators.
After a May 7 shooting at a ByWard Market nightclub that left one man dead and another injured, Ottawa Police Chief Vern White told reporters that he wanted more security at bars and nightclubs, possibly including pat-down searches, metal-detecting wands and ID scanners.
“Crazy over-reaction,” said Michael Coughlan, manager of the Standard on Elgin Street, when asked what he thought of the idea.
Coughlan said there may be a problem at specific bars, but that police know exactly which ones those are. There is no need for such drastic measures at most night spots, he said.
Lukus Abraham, owner of Lotus Lounge on Bank Street, said his bar used to be one with a problem on hip-hop nights. He said he discontinued hip-hop nights primarily due to safety concerns.
“It was a matter of time before something happened,” he said.
Abraham said he used a metal detector on hip-hop nights, but not normally.
“It’s very dependent on the crowd,” he said.
George Bush, a manager at Hooley’s Pub on Elgin Street, said he thinks such measures are unnecessary at his bar.
“We don’t really need to do it here,” he said.
Kim Ramji, owner of the Atomic Rooster on Bank Street, said she doesn’t think her bar needs additional security.
“I can see some places in the market or something like a nightclub using that, but no, not here,” she said.
Bush expressed support for ID scanners, which he said Hooley’s doesn’t currently use.
“I’ve been to other places and they work really well,” he said.
“It’s a liability reducer,” he said. “It removes human error or really good forgeries.”
Coughlan said he doesn’t plan to introduce any new security measures and that he prefers a low-key approach to security.
The Standard only has one doorman on weekends, and if the bar staff are calm and composed that rubs off on customers, he said.
It’s something that needs to be considered on a bar-by-bar basis, said Coughlan. Bush agrees, and said he doesn’t think Hooley’s is a dangerous place.