For nightlife venues in Kingston, every ID tells a backstory—but some are fiction.
The Journal spoke with some of the largest bars and clubs in Kingston to learn how they go about detecting fake IDs and preventing underage drinkers from entering their businesses.
Reuben Bowley, general manager at The Ale House, explained that on a weekend night, his club can turn away as many as 150 hopeful attendees on suspicion of using fake IDs. He explained that while the club does use scanners, the bouncers rely more on visual methods in deciding whether an ID is real.
“Everyone kind of IDs differently,” Bowley said. “When I do it, I go for the face first. The chin and nose are really easy. There are also different cues to look at, the boldness of the writing, the black lights, the barcode, colour, all that stuff.”
John Saris, co-owner of Trinity Social, similarly considers visual clues—from the details of someone’s ears or jawline, to the shape of their nose. “You might [be borrowing the ID of] a brother or sister that looks exactly like you, but they’re a foot taller. Height is a great tool for us,” Saris said.
The Royal Tavern 2.0 employs both visual and behavioural cues, according to the co-owner Katie Layman. “They might avoid eye contact,” she told The Journal. “If it appears everything is matching up on the ID, but we have a little hesitation, then we ask them questions; what is their postal code, what is their name.”
Layman and Saris say the most common fake IDs seen at their venues are government-issued IDs that have been borrowed from a sibling or friend, with counterfeit IDs posing a smaller issue. Bowley claims that Ale House sees a more even split between the two types.
The businesses also differ in their perspectives on confiscating these fake IDs. Bowley and Layman claim to never take them, as they are private property. Trinity, however, is more willing to confiscate IDs when the situation calls for it.
“I definitely have confiscated IDs,” Saris said. “We aren’t really allowed to, but occasionally it does happen because the person is a repeat offender, and we tell them they can come back and get it tomorrow.”
What all the venues agree on is the importance of exercising the right to ask for a second piece of ID. Bowley claimed Ale House engages in the practice 75 to 80 per cent of the time, Saris confirmed Trinity double-pieces “all the time,” and Layman said the Tavern asks for a second ID about 50 per cent of the time.
In the 2024-25 school year, the Tavern faced some issues with underage drinkers attempting to sneak in, both with fake IDs at the main entrance and through emergency doors in the back. In response, Layman, who only took over the business in August 2024, has purchased scanners and added additional security to all entrances of the Tavern.
“Last year we had one [security officer], we are now at four,” she said. “So, their chances of coming in the back or the emergency exit are no longer happening, and we have done aggressive training on how to catch the fake IDs.”
The Journal contacted Kingston Police for a comment about issue, but was told the police had no involvement with IDs.
Tags
Ale House, Fake ID, Trinity social
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