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Bartending Guidelines

Unfortunately, the reality is that alcohol related accidents happen all too often. The risk, exposure and consequences of such accidents are assumed by the alcohol license-holder. For events at the Wright, this means that the Wright is on the hook and is entirely liable. We expect that renting organizations will recognize and respect that the policies in place are intended to provide a safe environment and to reduce the Wright’s exposure.

No amount of monitoring and enforcement can make up for poor event planning, especially when it comes to alcohol, regardless of the size of your special event. Problems at an event are not usually caused by one factor, but a combination of factors. Giving full attention to the role of alcohol in planning, policies and procedures for your event will help minimize the associated risks.

If you are approved to manage the consumption of alcohol at the Wright, then you must adhere to the following guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines will, at the first determined infraction, forfeit your security deposit. There will be no exception to this policy.

Roles

Serving alcohol at the Wright requires more than just providing bartenders. Maturity and reliability is imperative to having these individuals make good decisions in their role. Some roles may overlap depending on the event and its operation. ‘Bartending’ tasks includes:

  • bartenders, i.e. someone actually pouring the alcohol
  • someone checking identification
  • entrance/exit monitoring
  • security

Responsibilities & Requirements

  1. All volunteers must review these guidelines prior to the event. Wright staff will review this document in detail prior to the beginning of each event. Volunteers that are not present during this review will not serve as bartenders and will not be involved in the distribution of alcohol at the Wright.
  2. All volunteers must be 25 years old or older. Their name and contact information must be provided to the Wright in writing prior to the event.
  3. Volunteer bartenders must be designated in advance in writing and must staff the bar at all times.
  4. Only designated bartenders and staff of the Wright are allowed to pour alcohol. No other individual that is not designated in writing will be allowed to serve alcohol.
  5. Volunteer bartenders cannot be substituted unless there is good cause, such as an emergency.
  6. Bartenders should meet state requirements including one or more of:
    - Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS®)
    - Controlling Alcohol Risks Effectively (CARE®)
    - Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM®)
    - Responsible Serving Certification
  7. Bartenders that lack certification should have provable experience in bartending, (i.e. previous/current employment) and must understand and be comfortable with how and when to utilize server intervention techniques.
  8. Volunteers must staff the front and rear exits of the Wright and shall not permit any alcohol to be removed from the building. Our license restricts alcohol consumption to the interior of the building.
  9. If the Wright is not providing concessions, then the renting organization must provide snacks for guests. Concessions should be agreed upon in advance. The Wright reserves the right to decline provision of concessions.
  10. The renting organization must provide water and nonalcoholic alternatives to guests. If not, the Wright will provide these billable to the renting organization.
  11. Non-removable wrist-bands should be used to designate individuals that can drink. Anticipate and prepare for intoxicated guests. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself with an intoxicated guest. Prior to your event, you should develop a written strategy for handling this situation, should it occur.
  • If the Wright allows you to use volunteers, then understand that your first line of defense, and the Wright’s, is the bartender. They must be comfortable managing intoxicated individuals and cutting them off.
  • If an intoxicated guest becomes unruly, you have a definite problem on your hands. You can quietly ask them to tone it down or to leave. You can appeal to their companion(s) to talk to them or to take them home.
  • Designate a person to be the bouncer for the event or consider hiring a security service for your event.
  • Set a “Last Call” an hour before the event ends to lessen the likelihood of an intoxicated guest getting into a vehicle. Serve more food and non-alcoholic drinks towards the end of your event.
  • Ensure any intoxicated guests make it home from your event safely. If you are allowed to serve alcohol, then this is your responsibility.

Thank you for using the Wright Opera House and for adhering to these standards. Note that acknowledgement and acceptance of these guidelines in no way forfeits the Wright’s authority to manage alcohol consumption at the Wright Opera House. The staff, board and any individual designated as a representative of the Wright have final authority at all times.