Legal advice: Funding help for doorstaff training

By the Publican's legal team of experts at London solicitor Joelson Wilson.​

It was good to read on thePublican.com that the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) have agreed funding support for door supervisors undertaking the new SIA-approved door supervisor training programme.

The LSC has agreed funding support of £102 per individual going directly towards training fees. It is currently thought that the training will cost around £250 to £350 and the funding will reduce these fees by around one third.

Initially, funding will be provided through local training networks in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the SIA's pilot licensing area.

Door supervisors working in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be able to apply for an SIA licence from March 1, 2004. From June 4, 2004, existing local authority door supervisor licences in this area will cease to be valid and only SIA door supervisor licences will be legal.

The rest of the country will then be brought into the scheme on a regional basis. From April 11, 2005 onwards, every door supervisor in England and Wales will be required to hold an SIA licence.

It also is a condition of a new premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 that door supervisors must be SIA registered.

In some regions, there are already too few registered door supervisors and operators struggle to find sufficient doorstaff to meet the demands of their PELs. Licensees have also questioned whether door supervisors will be able to find the time and money to complete the training, especially as many doorstaff also have day jobs.

Interesting and potentially complex days are ahead. If you run a pub, you should check that your door supervisors are aware of the SIA and the new licensing requirements so that they are at the front of the queue when the time comes to commence registration in your region.

For more information visit www.the-sia.org.uk.