Venue type
Nicotine Vending Machines for Private Clubs
Membership control usually makes the age question easier to evidence than anywhere else.
A club that controls who comes in, and keeps a record of it, is usually the easiest venue type to evidence a 21+ policy for. The complication is nearly always guests rather than members.
Controlled access
Membership makes the age question tractable in a way an open door does not: there is a roll, entry is recorded, and the club already knows who is inside. Where a bar has to assert a policy, a club can usually show one.
Where it gets complicated
- Member guests — can a member sign in someone under 21, ever?
- Family events, which many clubs run and which are the usual disqualifier.
- Function hire, where the club's own policy may not apply to the hirer's guests.
- Staff under 21, which needs manual review rather than a form answer.
How the review works
We look at the club's rules as written, not just as practised, because that is what a regulator would do. If the constitution permits under-21 guests at any point, the venue does not meet the federal test even if it has not happened in years.
Start a club review
The assessment covers access, the age policy and the room.