Bouncers and the law
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Searches
Bouncers are entitled to search you for weapons and drugs. Clubs have the right to search anyone entering their premises, and must provide searchers of both sexes i.e. women to search women, men to search men.
They can refuse entry to anyone who refuses a search but they can only insist on searching outside clothes, pockets or bags. Legally, they can only conduct strip searches and searches inside clothes with your permission in private with an independent witness. Only police or customs officers have the powers to strip search you without agreement - if a door supervisor searches inside your clothes or performs a strip search without your permission they may be charged with assault.
There should be a clearly visible notice displaying the club's searching and complaints policy. If you feel you have been mistreated at a club, try to take down all the details as soon as possible, noting down the names/numbers/description of the people involved and the time of the incident.
If things turn violent
If the door staff get nasty, try to stay relaxed. Meeting aggression with aggression leads to confrontation. If they start hitting out, get away fast. There is no shame in doing this; it's the smart thing to do. Walk away as fast as you can. Don't look back. If necessary, make a complaint to the club and the police.
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