Cleaning the door

Michelle Perrett examines the new regulations for pub doorstaff.

It's now official - licensees who use doorstaff will have to meet the requirements set down by the new Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The SIA, officially launched at the beginning of April, plans to improve the standards of the private security industry.

It is to clamp down on doorstaff used by pubs and bars by checking for criminal records, introducing a compulsory registration scheme and ensuring they have been properly trained.

But its introduction has raised some fears among licensees that it will add more bureaucracy and cost.

Also licensees could be facing fines, prosecution or revocation of their licence if they have unqualified doorstaff on their premises.

More importantly it was confirmed that the new Licensing Bill, which is expected to become law in July 2004, will make it a legal requirement to have SIA registered doorstaff.

Commenting on thePublican.com, licensee Steve Noonan said: "This is another piece of puerile jurisdiction gone wrong.

"Considering that most public entertainment licences require registered door security staff this is another piece of legislation bolted on to another piece of regulation."

The SIA plans to improve training standards across the industry.

A new qualification will be launched that will cover the general knowledge needed to work as a door supervisor as well as communication skills and conflict management.

But there was good news for anyone who already has the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Door Supervisor's National Certificate as they will be automatically able to register with the SIA.

"Door supervisors, who have a certificate issued within the past three years by an existing door supervisors body - the BII or the Security Industry Training Organisation - will be exempt from the knowledge based exam," Molly Meacher, chairman of the SIA, confirmed.

"Local authorities and others would do well to encourage door supervisors from now on to get a qualification accredited by one of these awarding bodies."

Pubs in London and Birmingham will be asked to register doorstaff from the beginning of 2004.

Any lessons learnt from this pilot scheme will be taken into account as registration rolls out across the UK next year.

The Security Industry Authority​

The Security Industry Authority is a non-departmental body that reports directly to the Home Secretary. It is an independent organisation responsible for:

• licensing security staff
• making sure that all staff are trained and supervised to their guidelines
• monitoring the activities of those working in the industry
• ensuring individuals carry and wear an SIA licence
• setting standards of conduct.

Criminality criteria​

There will be restrictions on doorstaff who have criminal records:

• Anyone completing a custodial or non-custodial
  sentence, or who has received a caution or warning during the two-year period up to the date of their application will not get a licence
• Nor will anyone completing a sentence for a serious offence in the five years up to the date of the application.
• Other factors will be considered when the applicant has a conviction, caution or warning for either: A non-serious offence between two to five years or a more serious offence more than five years ago
• The SIA will look at severity of the offence, when the last offence took place and whether there is a pattern of offending.