Over-reaction
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I’ve been a resident of Abbotsford for almost 15 years and have never felt unsafe in any bar, pub or restaurant in Abbotsford until I was asked to provide picture ID and have my picture taken for the Bar Watch system.
This made me quite angry. I’d gone to sample the cuisine of a new “more fine dining” restaurant and I was made to feel as though I needed to be protected. This is a restaurant, not a night club or a bar or even a pub.
What do I need to be protected from?
I saw an elderly gentleman who needed assistance from family members and a walker struggling to provide picture ID and have his picture taken so he could eat a meal in our community’s newest restaurant, all so staff and patrons can feel safe.
I’m well aware of the criminal element that seems to pervade our society and that reasonable levels of monitoring can be a deterrent. I understand the potential benefit for the Bar Watch system in night clubs, bars and even pubs, but does this need to extend to family restaurants?
I’m curious, how often do the police have to attend a restaurant to remove the criminal element?
My experience dining in Abbotsford for almost 15 years demonstrates to me that the Bar Watch system is an over-reaction to a small problem limited to non-family oriented establishments. It is monitoring one’s choice of restaurants and is an invasion of one’s privacy and personal freedom; as a result, my family will not frequent any restaurant that uses it.
Rob Ashby
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