Young people have a new way of proving they are old enough to buy alcohol from this week.
A system which combines fingerprint recognition with smart sticker technology is being introduced in pubs and clubs in Bath, with possible to plans to introduce it in the rest of the district in the future.
Touch2id aims to help security and bar staff to quickly identify whether or not people are old enough to be served alcohol.
The company behind the device, also called Touch2id, is working with the Post Office and Bath and North East Somerset Council to help get the scheme off the ground in the city.
A young person goes to the main post office in Northgate Street with their passport or driving licence where the counter assistant will carry out checks to verify their identity and age. A unique code is then created from their fingerprint which is encrypted on to a smart sticker for the person's mobile phone. This can then be used by a pub or club equipped with a fingerprint reader to identify someone and ensure they are the correct age.
The scheme – which does not store the fingerprints themselves – will be free to 18 to 25-year-olds until November 1.
B&NES cabinet member for neighbourhoods councillor David Dixon (Lib Dem, Oldfield), said: "The council is keen to support this initiative, which aims to offer a quick, cost-effective means to identify whether or not someone is under age."
The council organised a presentation evening at the Guildhall with Touch2id and the Post Office for pubs and clubs.
Giles Sergant, Touch2id's managing director, said it had run a pilot scheme to prove the technology worked and that there was demand for it.
Mr Sergant added: "Now it's about providing it over a wider area where the product's true convenience can be realised. With Touch2id, your age is checked once in good lighting conditions and using technology that's designed to validate all the security features in ID documents.
"It takes about five minutes. Then at point of sale you just prove you've been through the process. This means you don't need to carry and share personal data with strangers time and again."
More information about the scheme can be found at www.touch2id.co.uk.
The company behind the device, also called Touch2id, is working with the Post Office and Bath and North East Somerset Council to help get the scheme off the ground in the city.
A young person goes to the main post office in Northgate Street with their passport or driving licence where the counter assistant will carry out checks to verify their identity and age. A unique code is then created from their fingerprint which is encrypted on to a smart sticker for the person's mobile phone. This can then be used by a pub or club equipped with a fingerprint reader to identify someone and ensure they are the correct age.
The scheme – which does not store the fingerprints themselves – will be free to 18 to 25-year-olds until November 1.
B&NES cabinet member for neighbourhoods councillor David Dixon (Lib Dem, Oldfield), said: "The council is keen to support this initiative, which aims to offer a quick, cost-effective means to identify whether or not someone is under age."
The council organised a presentation evening at the Guildhall with Touch2id and the Post Office for pubs and clubs.
Giles Sergant, Touch2id's managing director, said it had run a pilot scheme to prove the technology worked and that there was demand for it.
Mr Sergant added: "Now it's about providing it over a wider area where the product's true convenience can be realised. With Touch2id, your age is checked once in good lighting conditions and using technology that's designed to validate all the security features in ID documents.
"It takes about five minutes. Then at point of sale you just prove you've been through the process. This means you don't need to carry and share personal data with strangers time and again."
More information about the scheme can be found at www.touch2id.co.uk.
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