Merle Pau, chief specialist at Tartu City Government's business development department, said the city has opened a state supervision proceeding against the business, to establish whether the establishment, called Nuti baar, is violating alcohol law requirements.

Since there is no permanent staff member on site, there is no one to bar off-site sales – banned between the hours of 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. the following day – if patrons take the drinks they bought away from the bar, while fears have also arisen of under 18s being able to buy alcohol there.

Diana Lints, head of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority's (TTJA) services supervision bureau, said no complaints have been received, but the authority is assessing whether the circumstances need further checking. "What matters is not only what the point of sale is called or what notices it has, but also how alcohol sales actually take place," she said.

Bar promoter Margus Tomp called Estonian law "outdated," and explained the Nuti baar is a private club, for this reason.

Tomp said the machine's ID verification is secure enough to prevent sales to minors, noting face recognition tech is used as well.

News of the bar's opening was shared on social media, where posts indicated an access code is needed to get in — though during Tartu Postimees said when it visited the door was open and entry was possible without this code.

Tomp said similar staffless bars exist elsewhere in the world, though Nuti is the only one in Estonia to his knowledge - there have been no issues with customers, he said.

Police in Tartu are aware of the bar's activities, and have also reported no incidents there up to now.

The original Tartu Postimees piece is here.

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