London’s door supervisors are now required to reach set levels of training and professional standards and then undergo mandatory criminal background and identity checks under the licensing scheme introduced by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The SIA is now accepting licence applications from London’s door supervisors. By 11 April, every door supervisor in the Capital – and, indeed, throughout the rest of England and Wales – will be required, by law, to hold a licence if they want to continue working the doors. All local authority door supervisor badges will cease to be valid.

The compulsory SIA licence aims to rid the industry of the small pockets of old-style ‘bouncers’, whose criminal and violent behaviour has contributed to door supervision’s bad name and image among the public at large.

Commenting on the London licensing, Poppy Walter – the SIA’s head of investigations for London – told SMT: “The new licence is good news for Londoners, and a great opportunity for London’s door staff. They’ll now be able to hold one licence which shows they’re professional door supervisors, and which allows them to work anywhere in the Capital.”

Walter continued: “To be licensed in time for the April deadline, door supervisors need to arrange their training now, and must allow four-to-six weeks for the licence application process to go through. If they miss the April deadline they’ll be breaking the law.”

Source

SMT