Last Saturday, officers from North Yorkshire Police, City of York Council and the Fire Service joined investigators from the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to check door staff working at York’s city centre pubs and clubs held valid SIA door supervisor licences.
Investigators found 97% of door staff checked held valid licences. In all, 13 licensed premises were visited, 35 door supervisors checked and 34 of them found to hold valid licences from the Regulator.
One door supervisor was reported for working without a valid licence.
Reassuring for the public
Speaking about the operation, Lucia Howland – an SIA head of investigation – told info4security: “The results from this operation are pleasing. It’s also very reassuring for the public to know that they are in safe hands when they go out. We shall continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that only trained, qualified and SIA licensed door staff work at licensed premises.”
PC Mick Wilkinson from the Police Licensing Unit said: “York Police Licensing Unit works very closely with external partners and undertake joint enforcement visits on a regular basis at weekends. On this occasion, officers from the SIA joined City of York Council Officials, members of the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Police Licensing Unit on a successful series of joint licensing enforcement visits.”
Wilkinson added: “Throughout the summer, York Police in conjunction with the Safer York Partnership have been running Op ALTN8, which has seen a number of different initiatives undertaken and the participation of the SIA in these latest
visits has helped to contribute to York being a safer place to visit and socialise.”
View from Safer York Partnership
Jane Mowat – director of Safer York Partnership – said: “Operation ALTN8 has provided the opportunity to work closely with a range of agencies to educate the public, carry out enforcement visits and approach the crime and disorder problems associated with alcohol from a completely different angle.”
Mowat concluded: “It’s pleasing to see that licensees in York are taking their responsibilities seriously and only employing SIA licensed staff to work in their establishments.”
SIA licences can be checked through the Register of Licence Holders, available 24 hours on the SIA web site (see link to the right hand side of this page).