Attracting managers 'serious issue'

A Dunedin bar owner in trouble with the authorities says bar owners are struggling to find people to work as duty managers.

Commercial Tavern owner Richard Michael yesterday agreed to his licence of the Green Island premises being suspended for 72 hours over an incident where an intoxicated man was found on the premises and no duty manager was present.

Alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin said in a submission presented to an Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority hearing yesterday that the duty manager rostered on for the day was expected to work a 15-hour shift.

Given the hours she was required to work, she ''unsurprisingly'' went home sick. He said there was no system in place for what should happen when managers fell ill.

When police arrived and found a man drunk, there was no certified duty manager present.

Mr Michael said he had introduced a training programme and hopefully addressed some of the shortcomings that led to the incident.

He said there was a ''serious issue'' in the industry when it came to attracting people to work as duty managers.

The role came with a lot of responsibility for ''not enough money'' because struggling bar owners were unable to pay very much.

He had employed six duty managers in the past year and a-half.

Most found the job fine until they had to discipline patrons which they found ''very difficult''.

He agreed to the bar closing from April 5 to April 7.

The Bottle-O liquor store on Princes St had its licence suspended for four days for offences - serving minors and intoxicated people - dating back to 2015.