KHN: Collective Hospitality Disqualification in a new guise

A safe and hospitable nightlife climate is important for catering entrepreneurs, employees and guests. To ensure this and reduce undesirable behaviour, the Collective Catering Disqualification (CHO) was introduced years ago. Recently, the Personal Data Authority issued 20 licences to departments of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) to impose these disqualifications. To make the process more contemporary, KHN has developed a new platform and accompanying app.

The aim of the CHO is to increase safety for entrepreneurs, employees and guests in its member catering establishments. By reducing nuisance and preventing and fighting crime, the industry strives for a safer nightlife climate in which undesirable behaviour is not tolerated. Entrepreneurs participating in a CHO agree that if a guest seriously misbehaves in a business, he or she will be denied access to a catering establishment. This denial also applies to other catering establishments participating in the demarcated entertainment area or the municipality. If the person with the denial nevertheless enters one of these establishments, this is regarded as trespassing and is punishable by law after being told to leave. If the guest does not leave voluntarily, the police will act and the public prosecutor will prosecute the person concerned. 

The Personal Data Authority has recently issued 20 licences to branches of KHN to enter collective catering disqualifications. To manage this process, KHN developed a new platform and accompanying app to register disqualifications. Due to changes in privacy legislation, the existing model had to be adapted. The new platform again meets all requirements and needs.

Operators in Almelo, Amersfoort, Amsterdam, Deventer, Drachten, Edam-Volendam, Emmen, Enschede, Haarlem, Heerenveen, Helmond, Hellendoorn, Hengelo, Leeuwarden, Purmerend, Roosendaal, Tilburg, Zaltbommel, Zandvoort, Zutphen and Zwolle will soon start using the CHO. For some areas, this is a reintroduction and for others a first start. In other areas, preparations for a licence application have already been made. In total, over 50 municipalities/areas have already expressed their interest in the tool, showing entrepreneurs their responsibility and working towards a safer nightlife climate.

Daan van Boerdonk of Bar Bobbi in Haarlem is enthusiastic: "The CHO system ensures a safer nightlife in Haarlem. People who systematically disrupt order are barred from participating catering establishments through a powerful partnership." Rob Smits of Café Fier in Zandvoort is also positive about the CHO system. "It helps us keep the catering industry cosy," he says.

Hospitality operators have noticed that after the corona era, some of the nightlife crowd poses challenges. The CHO instrument has already proven to have a great preventive effect. Of course, it is no fun when you can no longer go out in your favourite nightlife area because you can no longer enter a catering establishment and your friends can. For more information, see also www.horecaontzeggingen.nl.