Gurgaon’s clubs grapple with a new challenge: Bouncers versus patrons

Owners of clubs and bars said that while there is no formal training provided to bouncers as such, there are clear instructions to “never lay hands on a guest under any circumstance”.

Anil Bisht, working partner at Decode Air Bar and Feel Alive Bar, and president of the sector 29 market association, said, “Bouncers are employed to prevent brawls and not cause them. At the time of hiring, we make it clear to them that if they engage in any violence, they will be fired. Such incidents can affect the image of a club and create a sense of insecurity among patrons in the city. In a recent case in Noida, a customer had died in a brawl with staff in a pub and later the pub was sealed.”

Owners said they sensitise their staff on how to maintain composure in tense situations when there is an argument or a patron is acting “aggressively”. “We tell the bouncers to ignore the abuse and to not react and to inform the manager, who can then take a call on whether to call the police. But, often there are situations when some guests provoke the staff and the situation can escalate,” said Bisht.

Bouncers and security staff are either employed through an outsourced security agency, which then contracts them to a certain club, or they are directly employed by a club or a pub. The job typically starts late evening and goes on till the closing time for the club, which can extend till early morning. Pub owners said that an establishment usually employs 2-3 bouncers on weekdays and 6-10 for the weekend depending on the crowd. The average salary for a bouncer can range between Rs 18,000- Rs 25,000 a month at a club in Gurgaon, while some agencies provide services of strongmen for Rs 2,000-3,000 each for a weekend and take a cut as commission.

“For hiring, we look for certain attributes – good muscular physique, a certain height (not less than 5 feet 11 inches) and a general pleasant way of conversing. Educational qualifications are not important for this type of a job. A certain temperament is required, which can come with experience too. Most bouncers have alternate jobs, either as gym trainers or they are preparing to compete in weightlifting, bodybuilding or wrestling competitions. They take this up as a part-time job, which requires a few hours and can help pay for their diet and gym training,” said Sandeep Khasa, a former Gurgaon-based bouncer, who now runs Stiff Security Services, which provides bouncers and security staff. The firm has a total staff of over 800 for all verticals, of which 50 are bouncers.

After a spate of recent brawls at pubs involving bouncers, Sandeep said they have held sessions with their employees and sensitised them on appropriate behaviour. “We are also checking their criminal background to see if they have firearms. Sometimes, while reasoning with a guest, a situation can escalate, and one punch of a bouncer can prove fatal. So, we tell them to avoid any potential conflict,” said Sandeep.

Santosh Yadav, owner, Sky security services, said, “We hire trainers from defence forces, who provide training to the bouncers, especially in honing their soft skills, to help them deal with situations to avoid a potential conflict. A thorough background check is done.”

Deepak, a bouncer working in Gurgaon, said, “It is a difficult job. Often, guests who are inebriated misbehave and even attack us. At the time of frisking or entry, people boast of their connections to get into a club. On occasions, we react and then we are blamed for the entire issue.”

After recent incidents of brawls involving bouncers, Gurgaon police had written to bars and clubs across the city to get police verification of all their security staff completed.

According to a police source, they don’t have the exact figures on how many such security agencies are running in the city since very few exclusively supply only bouncers and they are in the process of compiling the same. According to excise department officials, close to 300 pubs and bars are running in the city.