doormen

[twinny_15]

HI, I'm not sure if this is the right category but I help out at a local social club primarily for adults with learning difficulties. We have an entertaiments /bar licence and on Saturdays we have entertainment.We have a volounteer doorman who checks membership and collects door monies on saturdays for about 3 hours .Does anyone know if this is okay or do we have to have a registerd doorman?

[Buenchico]

(Posted in 2 parts):

The answer depends upon exactly what type of licence(s) you have. My local bowls club, for example, doesn't need to have a licensed doorman because they operate under a club registration certificate rather than a justice's on-licence (and they've not got an entertainments licence).

I suspect, however, that (daft as it seems) your social club may well fall foul of the legislation. Even if your alcohol licence is of a type not covered by this legislation, your entertainment licence may well bring your club within its scope.

Here's the official line:
"You need a licence if you are responsible for security, protection, screening the suitability of people entering premises or dealing with conflict in pubs, clubs and other licensed premises open to the public.

Initially only door supervisors working at premises with a justices� on-licence required an SIA licence. However, licensing has now been extended to include other licensed premises such as those with an occasional licence (under the Licensing Act 1964), premises licensed under the Private Places of Entertainment (Licensing Act)1967, and certain premises licensed under Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 or the London Government Act 1963.

Anyone carrying out security duties at these licensed premises must have a Door Supervisor licence from 12 September 2005.

Premises covered by other legislation such as private members clubs, guest houses, bingo halls, theatres, cinemas, and licensed premises under the Gaming Act 1968 (casinos for example) will not require licensed staff".

[Buenchico]

(2nd Part):

Just to make matter worse, it seems that you don't need one licence but two! Your doorman requires a 'Front Line' licence and someone - the club secretary perhaps? - needs to hold a 'Non Front Line' licence.

The costs? Well, before your doorman can apply for his licence he has to undergo 30 hours of training! I don't know what this will cost but I'll bet that it doesn't come cheap! Then you'll have to submit both your licence applications, at a cost of �190 each!

I hope that I've got this all wrong but I've got a horrid feeling that I haven't ! All of the above information has been extracted from this PDF document:
http://www.the-sia.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0E9C1DCE-D9ED-43C 3-90B1-421FDDDB8851/0/sia_sg_get_licensed.pdf

That document has contact details for the Security Industry Authority. I suggest you phone and ask for advice (but without saying where your club is based or what it's called!). If they say you don't need licences then, obviously, you've got no problems. If they say you do need licences, then you'll have to decide whether to find the funds for the training and licence applications or whether to do what 99% of all other clubs will do and ignore legislation which was never intended to apply to them in the first place.

Chris

[twinny_15]

Thanks Chris very helpful our doorman does not deal with any security issues as the people attending are mainly group homes for disabled so I feel we may be okay.But I take note of your suggestion to contact them and check ..discreetly of course!

[dannydingbat]

The response is broadly correct although, do not forget, the licences he refers to all cease on 24th November when the new Licensing Act comes into force and the whoel thing may change again. Phone the SIA helpline, their website is www.the-sia.org.uk