Legal advice: Running out of time for SIA licences

The deadline is nearly upon us for doorstaff to apply for a licence.

By Lucy McNamara of thePublican.com's team of legal experts from London solicitors Joelson Wilson.​

The gloves are off between the licensed trade and the powers that be at the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

Since the blame-throwing has commenced, has anyone really considered who the main losers will be should a door supervisor have failed to obtain a licence? All door supervisors in London must be licensed by April 11, and the deadline has already passed in other parts of the country.

In basic terms, the licence represents a door supervisor's livelihood, without which they are unable to work.

To qualify for a licence, they will need to have completed a four-day training course, two exams and identification checks. Add the cost of the requisite training and the registration fee for the licence, and it is of no surprise that there have been some discontented door supervisors in our midst. To add insult to injury, many door supervisors have been expected to pay for all of this personally.

The licence is intended to provide further regulation in the industry and to ensure that crime and disorder is reduced. It also benefits the applicant personally, as the licence will enable its holder to work anywhere in England and Wales, eliminating the need to apply to each individual authority for the areas where a door supervisor wishes to work. However, critics of the new legal requirement consider the SIA criteria for awarding the licence too strict and quote the example of the door supervisor in Hampshire whose application was rejected due to a police caution unconnected with work.

Under the new licensing regime, should a premises licence holder be found using unlicensed doorstaff, they face a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and a £5,000 fine.

The SIA believes that doorstaff have had a long period of time to take action and any claims of lack of awareness are invalid as publicity of the scheme has been widespread.

So who are the winners in this current situation? Could it be the FEDS (Federation of Door Supervisors Union)?

According to its website: "Government estimates show FEDS could potentially grow to 350,000 members, making it the country's fifth-largest union". With such widespread chaos in the industry expected, it could be set to become a powerful force to be reckoned with.