Dispute breaks out over doorstaff date
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has come under fire for failing to ensure there will be enough registered doorstaff when new door licensing laws take effect on April 11.
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the BII and the Bar Entertainment and Dance Association (BEDA) have written to the Home Office asking for urgent action to be taken so that publicans are not penalised for using doorstaff who are not fully registered.
By April 11 it will be illegal to work as a door supervisor anywhere in England and Wales without an SIA licence.
But the trade associations believe there could be a shortfall of as many as 83,000 doorstaff across the country and are asking for more time to comply.
John McNamara, chief executive of the BII, who signed the letter along with BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward and Jon Collins, chief executive of the BEDA, said the SIA needed to work more closely with the industry.
"We want to be involved with the authority to help and encourage those in the industry to comply with the law," he said.
"We have given the SIA solutions, but we need some recognition that we need a new timescale."
However, Andy Drane, deputy chief executive of the SIA, said: "We have invested a significant amount of time and money to ensure that all in the entertainment industry, the security industry and door supervisors themselves were aware of what was required.
"Representatives of these industries should be challenged about what they have done to manage the situation other than seek to transfer the blame to the SIA."
Mr Drane (pictured) claimed most applications were being processed in a reasonable time.
Related articles:
Publicans warned over SIA licence deadline (1 March 2005)
