Had to read this twice…



Interesting observation whilst my friends and I walked into this karaoke place near the Premier Inn on Leicester Square. Wondering if the 'secure room' has a karaoke machine!…

by dnaleez

14 comments
  1. Held against your will due to being too drunk? How is it judged? How is this legal? Is that men and women? This can’t be right

  2. So I’ve asked my husband, who’s a bar manager near there.

    First, we both speak Chinese and the Chinese/English match btw. That’s simplified Chinese.

    Husband says the policy is actually legal because the bar staff have a duty to ensure that you’re either clear-headed or have somebody to look after you when you’re leaving — if they let you leave alone when you’re out of your mind drunk, liability can be placed on the bar. I think they should’ve called it a ‘recovery room’ or something. Also this is very odd to me but I guess it’s a grey area legally.

    As an aside, I’m *assuming* — because of location and the Chinese — that this is aimed at the middle-aged rich Chinese men who tend to get shit-faced and then try to drive home. (And there are quite a few rich asshole Chinese men who like to frequent Chinatown, even if you don’t notice them normally.) If they have a sign they can be like ‘Oh you just have to wait here for a little while, it’s the law (that demographic won’t know either way), it’s our policy, just for a bit’ until they’re sober enough to drive or someone gets them. They’ll be more likely to comply.

  3. My sober brain can just about understand what’s written there, how is someone who’s shit faced supposed to understand

  4. I’ve been kept in a medical room until sober enough to leave (not proud- I was young and reckless!!). Much prefer that than being thrown out on the street when I didn’t know which way was up

  5. I think what they are missing there is what will happen afterwards. So, you are kept in the room, and they will call your parents (or if you don’t have parents), they will call your partner or guardian friend to take you home safely. While in the room, they will serve you tap water and entertain you with board games. If you fail to hold yourself calm and well behaved they will take the board games from you!

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