Steve Armitage: Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive on the policy's in place

A Christchurch man has complained about homophobia after a bar repeatedly refused to let him in because of his ‘man bag’.

The man says the Rockpool Bar’s policy to not allow male patrons to bring bags in is homophobic.

The bar’s owner says the ban is in place to stop people hiding weapons in their bags.

Steve Armitage is Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive and joins the show to discuss this.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
A christ Church man has complained about a bar repeatedly
refusing to let him in because he had a man
bag on The man says that the Rockpool bar's policy
not to allow male patrons to bring their bags in
his homophobic, but the owner of the bar reckons that
the reason they only let them in is because people
can hide weapons in their bags. Steve Armitage is Hospitality
New Zealand's chief executive.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hey, Steve, hi, am I here in my capacity as
hospital in New Zealand Sea or because I was the
first person you thought of, who has a man bag?

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Do you have a man What kind of man bag
do you have?

Speaker 3 (00:32):
I'd describe it as a satchel?

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Is it like, have you got a leather satchel that
hangs sort of hip height?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
There's probably faux lea.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yes, you know, is this the bag you are? You
are the classic man bag carrier in Auckland, you know,
so I would describe it slightly dandyish. So yes, we
did think of that, but it is do you make
an effort? Have you had a chat to the bar
about the spoony chance?

Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah, we have been in touch with that today.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
I think the first thing to say is the venues
have the right to put restrictions in place to protect
their customers and staff, but they obviously need to ensure
they're being applied consistently, so there's no suggestion of discrimination.
That is not the case here. The issue is about
what might be in the bag. It's certainly not about
the customer, and the venue has been clear as you've
said that it's about health and safety and host responsibility
because they've had some issues recently around concealed drugs and

(01:24):
other contraband. So there's no suggestion in the venue as
anything other than a very popular, inclusive venue just trying
to do their best to provide a safe environment.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Did they tell you, Steve, what kind of a bag
this dude was trying to bring in?

Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, I haven't had a description of the bag, but
I have had some indication of the types of bags
that have been coming in, another ones that you'd sort
of associate with gangs and the drugs that they tend
to carry around in them.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
So I'm thinking, from my limited knowledge of gangs and
drugs that what we're talking about is sort of like
Louis Verton little Gucci baggies, you know, little like Petite
little person is that the guys like to wear or
the fanny pack that they like to wear. It believe.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
I would not profess to be an expert in this
yeah area, but yes, that's what I need to believe.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Okay, So you think they made the right call here.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Well, I think they're well within their rights to have
this policy in place. I think what they need to
make sure is that they've got clear signage and that
people are understanding why they're being refused.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Entrue.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
My concern was that there was some suggestion of discrimination,
but I'm assured that that's not the case at all.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
No.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Steve, Hey, listen, Thanks very much, Go and enjoy your
weekend and get rid of the satchel for the weekend
and just relax at Steve Armitage Hospitality, New Zealand, Chief Executive.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
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