New licences set to remove Britain's 'bad bouncers'

New national standards of training and personal licensing are set to call time on the minority of bad bouncers whose criminal and violent behaviour gives doorstaff a bad name, it has been announced today.

The new national licence issued by the industry's regulating body, the Security Industry Authority (SIA), is designed to see that all door supervisors undergo an identity and criminal background check and reach set levels of training and professional standards through a nationally recognised qualification.

Training will cover key areas of door supervision such as conflict management, emergency procedures and drug awareness.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight will be the first region to be regulated under the new SIA licensing scheme. From 4 June, it will be a criminal offence to work as a door supervisor in Hampshire and Isle of Wight without an SIA licence. The SIA door supervisor licence will then be introduced region by region. From April 2005, it will be illegal to work as a door supervisor anywhere in England and Wales without an SIA licence.

During the past 20 years, the number of door supervisors has grown dramatically with the boom in the nighttime economy, the SIA said. The agency has estimated that there are around 95,000 door supervisors employed in pubs, clubs and bars in England and Wales.

SIA Chairman Peter Hermitage said: “It’s important people feel safe when they go out to bars, pubs and clubs. The new national licence will ensure we have qualified, highly trained door staff in pubs, bars and clubs across the country.

“Unfortunately, the industry as a whole has suffered because of a small minority who give it a bad name. The new licence will protect the public from untrained and unsuitable operators and will improve the industry’s image"

Hazel Blears, Home Office Minister for crime reduction, policing and community safety said that the new standards would allow the industry to "continue to play its vital part" in tackling crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour and promoting community safety.

(gmcg)