Inspector Hector Cummings, subofficer in charge of the Allman Town Police Station, looks over documents in his St Andrew office. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

THE POLICE in Allman Town, central Kingston, will be using a law that is more than 80 years old to crack down on bars operating in the area.

They will also be paying close attention to the dress code of barmaids and putting a stop to the suggestive dressing of women working in the pubs.

The Spirit Licence Act of 1928 provides strict guidelines on the times that taverns, hotels and clubs should operate with a $500 fine for owners and operators who breach the law.

The police have already given bar operators notice to comply before starting the strict enforcement of the act.

No respect for closing time

Under the Spirit Licence Act, bars, referred to as taverns, are to open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close by 11 p.m. Mondays to Satur-days. On Sundays, the bars are not to open before 3 in the afternoon and close by 6. They are allowed to reopen at 8 p.m. and close by 10 p.m.

"What we have been observing is that owners and operators of these bars do not respect the closing hours," Inspector Hector Cummings, sub-officer in charge of the Allman Town Police Station, told The Gleaner. "Even the opening hours at times are ignored but more so the closing time."

He added: "It is a part of our anti-crime drive. We have found out that, where the opportunity exists, criminals will take advantage and when these bars are open beyond certain hours, they provide a sort of meeting place and criminals tend to gravitate towards these areas."

Willingness to comply

Cummings said a large majority of the bar owners have indicated a willingness to comply with the guidelines.

However, on the streets of Allman Town, it appeared that there was an even split in the views of the bar owners and operators.

"It is the law and I'm willing to work with the police," said one bar operator whose business is metres from the police station.

However, her neighbour, who has operated a bar in the area for many years, was adamant that the police were "barking up the wrong tree".

"Anything that has been allowed to happen for more than 30 years must become law. This has been ignored for more than 30 years and now you want to impose it," the bar owner said.

"It must hurt my business because sometimes during the day nothing don't sell because people gone to work. This is not uptown and what about Sunday when racehorse is going to run? Don't they know that racehorse and liquor go together," she added.

Dress code

The bar owners were almost uniform in their concerns about reports that the police would be implementing a dress code for bartenders.

"We hear that them have to go dress up like them going to church with no sleeveless blouse and no short skirts. That can't work," a bar operator said.

However, the police said that while they will not become fashion police, the Public Health Act restricts the clothing that can be worn in an establishment serving food or liquor to the public.

"They can't have their armpits exposed and they can't have on the little shorts and skirts that leave other parts of them exposed," the police said.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

This is the notice served on bar owners in Allman Town, Central Kingston.