Boss defends streaming live footage from toilets into bar

The boss of a bar in Huddersfield has spoken out to defend the decision to stream live footage from the venue’s toilets into the bar itself, after a customer expressed concern about the “alarming” practice.

Showtime, a bar in Huddersfield, found itself under the spotlight after a disgruntled customer revealed their concerns over the “alarming” footage that was allegedly being broadcast live into the venue from its toilets.

The patron wrote to the Huddersfield Examiner to detail their concerns and make other readers aware, stating in part, “Personally, I feel that this is a severe breach of privacy, and everyone that I have spoken to since witnessing this is of the same opinion and cannot believe that it is allowed to happen.”

However, Ian Snowball – who runs the venue with his son – said that the practice had helped Showtime crack down on drug dealers and drug taking.

“The CCTV system provides a safety net for the young and vulnerable, in addition to working towards compliance with covid legislation and safety.

“Because of our systems, we have quickly found drug dealers and the occasional male going into the ladies, and on each occasion, we have been able to catch and ban them permanently with the use of our facial recognition system,” he told the Huddersfield Examiner.

Meanwhile, Ian’s son Adam said that the CCTV system was the only “real-world” solution for monitoring toilet capacity during the coronavirus pandemic.

We recently reported the news that a bartender at another venue had been asked to call the police by a patron due to the clothing another group of customers were wearing. You can read the full story here.