George Street not the safest work environment, MUN student warns

A Memorial University student and former bouncer at one of George Street's busiest clubs, Conor McCann, says it can be a dangerous place to work, and he wants other students to know the risks before taking a job there.

However, the executive director of the George Street Association, Seamus O'Keefe, contends the street is no more dangerous today that it was a decade ago, though he acknowledges that the presence of drugs and weapons has increased.

McCann worked at the St. John's bar scene as a bouncer for roughly six months, full-time during the summer and then part-time when he was back in school.

McCann said he went into it expecting late nights and rough work, and that's exactly what he got.

As far as drug culture goes people don't know what they're doing or what they're getting so they're taking a risk whenever they do it. They think they're getting one thing, and they're doing something else.- Conor McCann

"My experience working downtown was overhearing and seeing a lot of different stuff, a lot of crazy things. Seeing a lot of interesting but dangerous altercations — more than I could ever expect," he said.

McCann said it's pretty common to see drinking and fights, and drug use is prevalent at the bars on George Street.

He said the increasing amount of drugs means more violence on the street.

"Typically, two guys who are drunk that will [end] very quickly. When you're drunk you don't want to get hit — you think you might when you start, but after a while once you're down, you're down," said McCann.

"Two guys who are stoned or hopped up on whatever, they're going to keep fighting until there's blood and an ambulance is called. There's no backing down and the fights tend to get far more violent than they would with just alcohol involved."

Not always getting what you think

According to McCann, bouncers get a certain amount of training from the fire department about how to deal with people who are drunk and violent, but not much about people who are otherwise inebriated.

He added that the most popular drug downtown is cocaine, but people don't always know what drugs they're actually consuming.

"As far as drug culture goes people don't know what they're doing or what they're getting so they're taking a risk whenever they do it. They think they're getting one thing, and they're doing something else," he said.

"But again, what people think is cocaine a lot of the time is speed mixed with something else, same with MDMA which is popular among university crowds, but people think what they're getting is MDMA but what they're getting in a lot of cases actually is bath salts."

McCann said there's also an increased risk for women who are downtown.

"I've seen harassment, catcalling, grabbing, I've seen fights start and end over girls and women in clubs. It's definitely an environment that a lot of the time doesn't lend itself to the safety of women, especially when they're alone."

However, he said one of the main things he learned while working downtown is that staff are always watching and trying to ensure a safe environment for patrons and workers alike.

A mass of people

Meanwhile, Seamus O'Keefe said there are "some issues" on the street and that "times are changing."

He said many of the more serious problems are linked to drugs, but believes the rate of drug use on George Street is no different than in any other part of the city.  

"Unfortunately, we just have a mass of people on George Street that just makes it a little more prominent," he said.

An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people head to the bars and restaurants on George Street every weekend, giving it a reputation as a rollicking place.

O'Keefe denied the rate of crime has increased dramatically, but said there are more drugs and weapons on the street.

"It's not something you would have seen 10 years ago," he said.

The difference, he added, is the prevalence of social media.

Incidents of violence or inappropriate behaviour are magnified because of how fast word spreads on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

What's more, O'Keefe said the business climate has changed in recent years. There's much more competition and rules and regulations, making it harder for owners to turn a profit.

"We have our challenges," he said.

However, O'Keefe is adamant that George Street is still the best place to go for a fun night out.

"We're known for our entertainment, we're known for our drink and our food. And we encourage all people to come down. Late night, if you're looking for trouble, you're going to find it."