Seems they are developing self-service beer for busy bars:

Contactless beer

I’m slightly surprised at this, while in concept its not a bad idea, where does it leave bar owners re. duty of care?

When I used to work in a busy bar was drummed into us we, as bar staff, were persoanlyl liable if we served under-age or over-intoxicated customers. If that pump is unsupervised, and the point is it’s for very crowded times of year, seems both issues could become problematic.

I’d still happily use one rather than stand three deep at a bar getting too close to strangers armpits though

They had these in Slovakia a few weeks ago – the article is BS.

There was both a line of tap n go pumps – you could pay with card or some apps – or a tap on a table, with a device to pop card in and enter pin. Then if you wanted another pint you just tapped card again.

No, just no.

It’s a pub, not a supermarket checkout.

A friend of mine who runs a company that produces a similar self-serve system tells me the system in the article probably is technically illegal, because unattended purchase of alcohol in a licensed premises is not permitted.

No way would my local authority allow that, and rightly so.

Yak – Member

No, just no.

It’s a pub, not a supermarket checkout

To be fair, I imagine its for massive chain bars which are basically supermarkets for the drunk.

@Glenh – that was what i wondered
@nobeer- agreed

There is (was?) a place in Manchester called Taps, with pumps on the tables. I thought it was genius. Customers are drinking not queueing. Fewer glasses to collect, fewer to clean, fewer staff needed. And customers pay for everything that comes out of the taps, spillage included.

You just need latrines under the table to finish off the whole concept.

Years ago went to Yo Below in Edinburgh at lunchtime for a couple of beers. They had taps at the table that you could serve yourself from. Pressed a button and it poured a pre-determined amount into your glass. Little LED counter in the table top kept a count of how many beer’s you’d ordered and you paid up at the end.

Only problem was that you drank beer like they were water and cocktails like they were beer. Ended up with a fuzzy head and several notes lighter the following morning.

A place local to me has a system where you put some money or a card over the bar then crack on via an ipad and the taps on the table.

It’s always lots of fun, you can order shots, wine, spirits to the table as well as request songs on the jukebox while pouring your own pints. nice big tables that accommodate 10

When I used to work in a busy bar was drummed into us we, as bar staff, were persoanlyl liable if we served under-age or over-intoxicated customers.

Strictly speaking, does that not make buying a round illegal? Either the person you just served is about to drink 10 pints (and therefore be very drunk), or you’ve not ascertained the sobriety of the persons they’re buying for.

It’s a gimmick, no one in London can actually afford to go out drinking anyway!

So crap, as is the pub that installed it i guess

Strictly speaking, does that not make buying selling a round illegal? Either the person you just served is about to drink 10 pints (and therefore be very drunk), or you’ve not ascertained the sobriety of the persons they’re buying for.

Strictly, no, but possibly yes (i presume you meant selling a round rather than buying a round). A proxy purchase also relates to the drunken state of the person(s) you are buying for (most people think it’s just a buying for underage kids outside the offie thing). So retailer is only responsible for confirming age and state of the person they are make sale to. Person purchasing is responsible for age and state of anyone they may be buying on behalf of.

example here http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/merseyside-drinkers-warned-face-1000-10475474

There is however also a requirement on the retailer to show care and due diligence. So if trading standards or police observed someone purchasing a round at the bar and his mates, all clearly absolutely smashed, were stood with him and obviously the drinks were for them, and it was clear that the barman could see all this, then the barman could possibly be in trouble for not showing care and due diligence, if he made the sale.

There have been self service pubs in Lincolnshire since forever.

Yeah but that’s just where the locals help themselves.

Only problem was that you drank beer like they were water and cocktails like they were beer. Ended up with a fuzzy head and several notes lighter the following

I’m sure no-one had thought that might happen!

There’s a chain of bars in Switzerland that sells beer by the column. You can get 3, 5 or 10 litres…

(not my photo…)

Bet the last couple of pints from that are pretty warm and flat ^^

There is a place in Amsterdam called Bierfabriek that’s been doing this for years – although you do have to pay a real person who comes over to set up the pump and take your money when you’re done.