Heathrow Airport launches new National Pubwatch scheme

By Stuart Stone

- Last updated on GMT

Scheme take-off: Heathrow’s Pubwatch scheme has launched in an effort to make Britain’s busiest airport a safer place for flyers and staff
Scheme take-off: Heathrow’s Pubwatch scheme has launched in an effort to make Britain’s busiest airport a safer place for flyers and staff
Heathrow Airport has launched an airside Pubwatch scheme to make the airport a safer environment for its 80m passengers per year.

The scheme has been launched as part of the airport’s policy to take a proactive and responsible approach to making Britain’s busiest airport a safe place for passengers and staff.

The aim of the scheme is to bring concessionaires, lounge operators, airlines, hoteliers and police together in order to improve communications and information sharing, to prevent and tackle antisocial behaviour, and create both safe drinking environments for customers and secure working environments for staff.

National Pubwatch has been working with Heathrow since April 2019 to help establish four separate communities in its T2, T3, T4 and T5 airside terminals.

The gargantuan transport hub transported more than 200,000 passengers per day in 2018 – in excess of two thirds (67%) of whom were leisure travellers – in its busiest year on record.

It currently serves 203 destinations in 84 countries and boasts on-trade outlets, including London’s Pride by Fuller’s, the Crown Rivers by JD Wetherspoon, and the Casual Dining Group’s the Darwin and the George pubs.

Mini town centres

The news follows Best Bar None’s announcement of an airside pilot scheme​ with Manchester Airports Group – encompassing Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports – in January 2019, which saw around 50 venues, catering for around 60m passengers per year, evaluated.

“The airport terminals are just like mini town centres and they are a hive of activity 24/7,” National Pubwatch chairman Steve Baker explained.

“They obviously have the advantages of good security processes and their own dedicated police presence, but there are many local operational challenges.

“I have been really impressed with the way Heathrow staff have embraced the Pubwatch model and I know that they understand the benefits that it will bring them.”

The announcement follows news reported by The Morning Advertiser​ that passengers waiting for a flight from Manchester’s new £1bn ‘super terminal’ will soon be able to enjoy a pint produced on site, at Joseph Holt and The Restaurant Group’s the Bridgewater Exchange Pub​.

What’s more both BrewDog​ and JD Wetherspoon​ have recently announced expanded airside operations with respective new openings at Edinburgh and London Stansted airports.

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