For bar staff, bartenders & mixologists
People sit at your bar and tell you the whole thing. You already knew that.
The divorce that came through last week. The court date they've been dreading. The financial mess they don't know how to navigate. You hear it. You listen. You pour another and you ask the right question.
Now you can do one thing more. One sentence. One link. Something that might actually help them when the bar closes and they're back on their own with all of it.
Find a McKenzie FriendWhat is a McKenzie Friend?
A McKenzie Friend is a non-legal court supporter. They can come to family court with someone going through divorce, child custody battles, or financial proceedings — sit beside them in the courtroom, help them understand what's happening, and assist with the paperwork before and after.
They are not solicitors. They cannot give legal advice. But the person at your bar who has just been told they can't afford a solicitor and doesn't know what to do next — they can afford a McKenzie Friend. They probably just don't know they exist. That gap is what this is about.
What you can say
"There are people called McKenzie Friends — they're not solicitors but they can actually come to court with you. A lot cheaper. They know what they're doing. Look up familycourtbridge.org — there's a directory of them. Genuinely worth a look if you're going through all that."
familycourtbridge.org/find-your-support
That is all it takes. You are not giving legal advice. You are pointing someone in a direction. The person at the bar already trusts you — which means what you say lands differently than a search result.
Share this on your bar's Facebook page
🍸 Something we want our regulars to know about.
We hear a lot at [bar name]. And one thing we hear more and more is people going through separation, divorce, or family court who feel completely alone with it and don't know what support exists.
McKenzie Friends are people who can go to family court with you — sit beside you in the hearing, help you with the documents, make sure you know what's happening. They're not solicitors, so they cost a fraction of the price. A lot of people who can't afford a solicitor can afford a McKenzie Friend. They just don't know they exist.
Find one at familycourtbridge.org/find-your-support 💙
Share this if you know someone who needs it.
Adapt as you wish — just keep the link.
Why bar staff are part of this
You're there at the hard hour
Evening shifts. Last orders. You see people when the day's composure has worn off. They have had a couple of drinks and they are telling the truth.
The bar is confessional
People tell bartenders things they haven't told their closest friends. The dynamic is well understood. You already know how to hold it. This just gives it somewhere to go.
You can be a way out
Not every difficult conversation needs to end with nothing. Knowing one sentence — and one link — means you can turn a hard night into a first step.
Bridge the Gap — Further Reading