Home > News > February 2005 > 03-Feb-2005

Pubs and clubs face shortage of qualified door staff, warn City & Guilds

The increase in the number of pubs, clubs and restaurants in Britain has left many of them struggling to find qualified door staff, sparking fears that some may either have to close or operate illegally, warns City & Guilds security specialist Rob Roseveare.

According to Roseveare, club managers and licensees are expecting a 'door staff drought' this year as demand exceeds supply. "If this surplus demand continues, we could well see qualified door staff naming their price in the short term," he said.

The situation is particularly acute in the West End of London where licensed premises have grown dramatically since the early Nineties.

Roseveare confirmed that the door staff shortage had already started to have an impact. "Some venues had to reduce their capacity for parties over the Christmas and New Year period simply because they did not have sufficient door staff at the time. While many licensees have taken a responsible approach towards providing a safe environment for their customers and clubbers, there is concern that others may turn a blind eye by operating without sufficiently qualified door staff."

Over the past year, the existing pool of practising door staff has reduced following the Security Industry Authority’s announcement that all door staff must have a licence to practice by April 2005, particularly as this requires applicants to clear a Criminal Record Bureau check.

To gain a licence, door staff must also attend a training course leading to a qualification in Door Supervision that is recognised by the SIA. One such qualification is the National Certificate for Door Supervisors awarded by a consortium of awarding bodies – City & Guilds, the British Institute of Innkeeping (BIIAB) and NCFE. City & Guilds and its consortium partners have approved a national network of training centres to help provide courses and to increase the number of qualified door staff.

The National Certificate for Door Supervisors aims to give door staff the necessary skills and competencies they need to improve customer care and safety and keep abreast of changes within one of Britain ’s fastest growing sectors. This includes training door staff to identify potential risks for conflict and to evaluate situations, as well as how to defuse conflict using non-aggressive techniques.

Roseveare believes that door staff play a vital role in policing Britain’s nightclubs and pubs and deserve greater recognition, adding that the new qualification helps to set acceptable standards of behaviour and enables the licensed hospitality sector to meet the challenging demands of today’s customers.

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