CASH-strapped clubbers caught smuggling alcohol into licensed premises in Bournemouth could face being searched and barred from one late-night venue.

That’s the warning from Rubyz cabaret restaurant operator Nick King, a local councillor, who claims women, concealing bottles of spirits in their handbags, are the worst offenders.

Cllr King, a Dorset Police Authority member, told the Daily Echo: “I know times are hard for everyone but this problem is causing us a headache from both a commercial and safety point of view. We are now considering starting to search people at the door.

“We can’t compete with the price of alcohol being sold in local supermarkets and people seem to think it’s okay to smuggle in bottles of spirits and then buy soft drinks on our premises, sneaking into the ladies’ toilets to mix them together and have a tipple.

“As well as the commercial repercussions, there are safety implications.

“Licensees are responsible for public safety on their premises. It’s very difficult to control drinking if you don’t know how much is being secretly consumed. At the end of the day it’s our licence that’s on the line. If we catch anyone drinking alcohol they’ve brought in, we ask them to leave. If we are forced to start searches on the door we will have to employ women to search other women.”

He added: “Parents should keep a close check on how much alcohol they have in the house to ensure their children can’t sneak a bottle out, without being noticed. You’d be surprised how many people turn up at Bournemouth’s pubs and clubs already half drunk.”