Coping with the unthinkable

Do you have an emergency plan to help you deal with the harsh reality of a terrorist attack on your venue? John Harrington offers advice from the experts

The threat of terrorism in the UK is real and licensed venues are a target. That's the chilling reality facing the trade.

Al-Qaeda and its sympathisers have said pubs and nightclubs - dens of decadence, drinking and "immoral" behaviour - are legitimate targets. The bomb planted outside central London's Tiger Tiger in Haymarket last summer brought the real threat into sharp focus.

As experts warn that strikes can occur anywhere, counter-terrorism seminars are taking place across the UK, run by solicitors Poppleston Allen in association with the Government's National Counter Terrorism Security Office, which is tackling the threat through its Project Argus.

Delegates were asked how they would act under pressure if an attack occurred near their venue. The MA has compiled tips from the events on coping with the unthinkable.

emergency countdown - what to do if it happens to you

You are the duty manager at a city-centre club. It is midnight on a busy evening.

A bomb explodes outside and panic breaks out on the streets. What do you do?

1. Call 999. It might seem obvious - but that's often the problem: people assume others will ring. The high number of calls will indicate it's not a hoax. But as the emergency services won't arrive immediately for fear of follow-up explosions, it's essential that you act sensibly and take control.

2. Assess the scene. The operator will ask you to stay on the line to describe what you see. This advice could prove vital to avoid follow-up attacks. Look out for casualties, hazards, access for emergency vehicles and any clue as to the nature of the attack.

3. Use first-aid training to deal with casualties if possible.

4. Search your premises for suspect devices. Terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda tend to use multiple attacks to inflict maximum damage, so you need to be alert to the possibility of follow-up strikes. Ensure people entering the venue are still checked.

Fifteen minutes later.

People are running down the street and there is mass panic inside. Another bomb explodes on the street, shattering windows at your club. A car is in flames, indicating a car-bomb attack. Staff and customers ask you what they should do.

1. Get customers to a safe place. Tell staff to instruct customers to keep away from windows and any internal glass panes - glass is the biggest killer in a terrorist attack. Encourage people to position themselves behind hard surfaces, turning over tables if necessary. Keep them away from stairwells.

2. Consider evacuation. It may be safer to stay inside for the time being, but think about evacuating if the interior has partially collapsed or you see fire or smoke coming from inside. If you do evacuate, avoid the usual fire-evacuation points. Terrorists will study their target before an attack and may assume that most people will use emergency exits, so those points could be vulnerable to follow-up blasts. Customers should be evacuated away from the original bomb site.

3. Communicate with customers. Tell your staff - and, if possible, the DJ - to communicate your plan to customers. If you don't evacuate, reassure people that it is safer to stay inside.

4. Use your resources. Pubs and clubs are blessed with useful resources for an emergency, including bottled water, so make sure you use these.

Two hours since the initial blast.

A news-flash confirms that the vehicle bomb has caused most of the damage and at least 40 people are known to be dead. Many injuries have been caused by flying glass. No mobile-phone networks are working and customers and staff are desperate to contact relatives and friends and go home. Again, they need your leadership.

1. Try to take names and addresses of people at the venue to help the police. That information can be used to assist worried relatives who call the incident room. It will also help police gathering evidence about the attack.

2. Tell staff to make their way to the emergency bus routes out of the town, which are detailed in the city-centre evacuation plan.

A few weeks later.

The debris has been cleared and your thoughts turn to saving the business. What must you do to get your business up and running again as soon as possible? And how can you encourage customers - and staff - back to your venue?

1. Talk to suppliers. It's vital that you contact suppliers as soon as you can to give them an idea of how long it's likely to be before you're back in business.

2. Public relations. Your premises will be in the media spotlight following the attack, so use the exposure to your advantage and spread the message about what you are doing in an attempt to get back to normal. Run promotions - responsible, of course - to encourage people back.

3. Inform staff that counselling is available. Informal counselling will be available from humanitarian assistance centres that are set up to deal with emergencies.

ways to Act now

Precautions to help you prepare:

l Draw up an incident-management plan so that staff will know their roles in case of emergency. Contact your local authority for advice on drafting this type of plan.

l Instruct staff to be on constant alert for suspect items and behaviour while they are working - collecting glasses, for example. Report any suspicious behaviour observed on CCTV to police.

l Put together a "grab bag" of useful items, including torches, first-aid kits and radios. See www.londonprepared.gov.uk for advice.

l Most councils have an emergency evacuation plan for their town or city centre. This will show where people can catch emergency buses away from the centre. Get hold of a copy from your local council and keep it in your grab bag.

l Maintain good relations with other local retailers and be an active pubwatch member. Radio links between venues could prove crucial in a terrorist attack.

For more information on anti-terrorism events, visit www.nactso.gov.uk/argus.php

or www.poppall.co.uk

Terrorism hits the trade

l A car bomb explodes outside Tiger Tiger in Haymarket, central London, in the early hours of a Friday morning as clubbers are leaving (June 2007).

l Five British men are found guilty of plotting to carry out al-Qaeda-inspired

bomb attacks across the country, including one at London nightclub Ministry of Sound

(May 2007).

l Three people are killed, and at least 30 injured, after a nail-bomb explodes at the crowded Admiral Duncan pub in London's popular Soho district (May 1999).