Following the informal consultation on whether a single generic SIA licence should be introduced, the SIA will not be developing a non sector-specific licence.

Overall, feedback from the industry showed that while there was some interest in a more integrated approach, the option for a single generic licence card did not receive widespread support.

At present, SIA licence cards are specific to each sector.  Operatives working in more than one sector may need to be issued with multiple licences.

The two options set out in the consultation were:

• to introduce a single generic licence card covering all of the licensable activities that the holder is qualified to undertake; or
• to continue to issue sector-specific and multiple licences.

SIA Director of Strategy and Corporate Services, Hazel Russell said:

“I would like to thank respondents for their contributions to this informal consultation. The responses did not provide clear support for the development of a non-sector specific licence, so at present we will not be making changes to the licences that we issue.

However, we will now reconsider how we have defined the ‘manned guarding’ sectors and we will take account of the consultation responses in identifying opportunities for limiting the requirement for multiple licences and for reducing administrative burdens.  This, combined with our ongoing customer service improvements will help to ensure that any future changes will continue to be stakeholder-led.”

Suzi says: I assume that redefining manned guarding will introduce new sectors within guarding such as “retail” security and “construction site” security, etc.  Will that mean yet another day’s training I ask myself.  We shall see.  But, rest assured, we will let you know if and when it happens.

Simon de Bruxelles of the Times Online asks: When is a drunk not a drunk?  Police have been accused of entrapment after sending amateur actors into pubs to order drinks while swaying and announcing to bar staff in a slurred voice “I’m hammered”.

Two actors visited ten pubs in Bexley, southeast London, and managed to get served in every one of them despite reeking of alcohol, slurring their words, fumbling their change and shoving other customers on their way to the bar.

They later repeated the performance at a conference for local publicans and bar managers who insisted, unanimously, that they would be refused service and asked to leave. They were stunned when a senior police officer revealed: “You’ve already served them.”

Under current legislation, bar staff caught serving alcohol to intoxicated drinkers are liable for an £80 fixed penalty notice or a fine of up to £1,000.

Although the bar staff served the hired actors they can not be prosecuted because they were not actually drunk.

John Madden, chairman of the licensed trade body Guild of Master Victuallers, condemned the exercise as a waste of police time.

He said: ”It is a terrible idea and I am surprised the police think it is worth doing. They cannot prosecute anyone for serving an actor who is pretending to be drunk.

”I’m really not happy with this. At the end of the day it’s entrapment, but it’s entrapment where the staff haven’t done anything wrong because the actor isn’t even drunk.”

The fake drunks were hired from a local amateur dramatic group by Bexley Borough Council and Bexley Police, part of the Metropolitan Police, ahead of a seminar with 100 landlords, club managers and restaurant owners, on drink-related crime.

Chief Inspector Stephen Murrant, who organised the initiative, said: “I am disappointed that despite our efforts to educate and support licensees that staff saw fit to serve two outrageously behaved drunken actors.

“This has come as no surprise. In a recent survey of bar staff carried out in the borough, 98 per cent said they saw drunk customers on some or most of their shifts.

“We routinely monitor what goes on in all our licensed premises and we will be robust in our actions if we find licensees or their staff fuelling alcohol related disorder by serving customers who are drunk.”

Clive Cain, head of public protection at Bexley Council, said: ”Whilst it is illegal to serve a drunk, the law does not define when someone is drunk. This pioneering initiative has demonstrated the ease with which drunks can be served. It has highlighted the urgent need for improvements in training, advice and managerial support for bar staff.”

Section 141 of the Licensing Act 2003 bans the sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk. Bexley Police say the force rarely prosecutes landlords but reports findings to the council, which takes such instances into consideration when considering renewing licences to serve alcohol.

Scott Mackenzie, manager of the Blue Anchor in Bexley, claims it is getting more difficult for landlords because an increasing number of customers are drinking heavily before going to the pub. He claims cheap alcohol sold by supermarkets is the real problem.

He said: ”In my car park, every day we have to clear up bottles of this and that, which people drank before they came to the pub.”

Bexley Police are planning to step up their undercover initiative for the World Cup.

Suzi says:  This does highlight a problem with a lack of awareness and training within licensed premises.  It is ultimately the responsibility of the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) to ensure that staff are aware of the law and the consequences of “ignoring” the law.  With the grandfather rights that were handed out when the Licensing Act 2003 was introduced, many DPS, managers and other Personal Licence Holders are actually totally unaware of what the law says.  There are several courses which are ideal for bar staff and other employees of licensed premises that cover the Act and would also cover a premises with their “due diligence”.  beSmart Training offer courses for Personal Licence Holders as well as the BIIAB Award in Responsible Alcohol Retail (ideal for staff who don’t require a personal licence), and the BIIAB Level 2 National Certificate for Designate Premises Supervisors.

Matt Jackson of The News, Portsmouth reported today that a motorist who ran over a clamper in an ‘uncontrollable rage’ has been jailed.

A judge sentenced David Cox to 12 months and banned him from driving for 15 months at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Recorder Jonathon Black jailed Cox yesterday for his attack on clamper Anthony Wearn, after he had refused to pay a £125 release fee.

Cox repeatedly rammed Mr Wearn’s van as he tried to free his red BMW Mini.

As the clamp flew off he drove at the 38-year-old clamper, running him over.

Cox admitted dangerous driving and criminal damage, but denied he’d run over Mr Wearn on purpose.

At the sentencing yesterday the lorry driver from Colbury Grove, Havant, said: There is a reason here for me to seek professional help for the anger I have got.

‘I only drove a matter of inches backwards and forwards.

‘ I didn’t drive drunkenly though I did strike another person.’

Sentencing Cox to a year for the charge of dangerous driving, and a one-month concurrent sentence for criminal damage, Recorder Black said: ‘While Mr Wearn’s occupation may not be to everyone’s liking he was going about his business in a lawful manner.

‘Mr Cox, upon finding his car had been clamped, lost his temper.

‘In my opinion these are not the actions of a person thinking and behaving rationally.

‘It’s clear to me that Mr Cox’s actions were as the result of him being in an uncontrollable rage.

‘I believe he acted on this occasion out of uncontrollable rage and that he was perfectly aware of Mr Wearn in front of his vehicle.

‘I also find that Mr Cox’s reason was not to seek an escape from the car park but to damage Mr Wearn’s van and clamping device in order to teach him a lesson.’

Mr Wearn, who works for Portsmouth based BSG Security, was run over in the Pizza Hut car park in Havant in February last year.

He told the court last month that Cox had been staring straight at him before running him over.

He said: ‘At first it was tremendous pain while the vehicle was on top of me.

‘After that it was just complete and utter shock.’

Suzi says we wish Anthony Wearn our very best wishes and hopes that he has recovered completely from this awful experience.   Anthony did his vehicle immobiliser training with beSmart Training (then known as COI-Freelance Ltd) back in 2007 and though the profession is generally disliked by most people it is a legal and necessary profession in this day and age and we are extremely glad that the judge has recognised this fact.  beSmart Training run regular vehicle immobiliser courses at their London based training centre so if you are interested in becoming a wheel clamper or immobiliser please give us a call.

The Morning Advertiser have published an article today saying that Doorstaff are being urged to confiscate ID that is used by under-18s to try to buy alcohol.

The article says that the Security Industry Authority (SIA), which regulates doorstaff, has agreed to take part in a Home Office campaign to crackdown on the problem.

It’s recognition that doorstaff are able to confiscate ID if they have a procedure for dealing with the documents – the question had been open to debate.

It also represents a victory for the PASS (proof of age standards) scheme because the SIA has also agreed to include awareness of the scheme on its doorstaff training courses.  PASS had previously complained that doorstaff often didn’t recognise accredited cards.

The initiative, in association with PASS, advises young people that if they are caught using fake ID, or ID that’s owned by someone else, they could have it confiscated and may be prosecuted.

The SIA is urging door supervisors to confiscate false ID and hand them over to the police, who will then return the documents to the relevant authority.

Baroness Ruth Henig, chairman at the SIA said: “We are advising licensees and door staff to help ensure fake or false IDs are confiscated and handed to the police.

“Trained and professional SIA-licensed door supervisors play an important role in creating a safe environment for the public when visiting pubs and clubs across the UK.

“Door staff can also contribute to reducing under-age drinking.  Our approved door supervisor training ensures door supervisors are made aware of the PASS scheme.”

PASS chairman Robert Humphreys added: “This campaign is timely and most welcome.

“Many underage young people often see getting past door staff or being served as something of a game, but for those responsible for enforcing the law it’s no joke – in fact a mistake can easily cost them their jobs and even get them a criminal record.

“The clarity of the message is vital – attempting to break the law is unacceptable and could get you in serious trouble.”

The fake ID posters can be downloaded from the Home Office website www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk

Suzi says: lets hope this doesn’t open a whole new can of worms.  Just because a door supervisor is licensed doesn’t make him the right person to confiscate people’s identification.  I mean, just because you have a driving licence doesn’t necessarily mean you a good driver and keep to the rules of the road, does it – it just means you haven’t been caught yet.  I hope the Home Office doesn’t get these people into a whole heap of trouble!

Source: The Publican

The BII has started the nationwide search for the 2010 BII Licensee of the Year. 

Judges are looking for individuals or partnerships who make the best of the resources they have available.

They could be running a community pub, a village local or a high-street bar and be able to demonstrate great business ability and a passion for the trade.
The winner will be announced at the BII’s annual lunch in May. The award absolutely epitomises everything that BII stands for – excellence, professionalism, standards, best practice.

The current holder of the title Philip Davison, licensee at the Sun in the Wood, Newbury, Berkshire, said: “To win such a prestigious award is amazing, but even if you’re not fortunate enough get through to the final stages, just entering will make you revalue your business, look at how you do things and certainly improve your profit.”

To enter online visit www.bii.org for more information call Joanna Buston on 01276 417802 or email joannab@bii.org .

You can watch a video of the history of the awards and apply here: http://bii.bii.org/events/awards/2010loya , the closing date for entries is Friday February 15 2010.

Suzi Says…

It’s always great when licencees get the recognition they deserve.

 The judging for the BII awards are notoriously rigourous. I imagine that they check that everything is in order, from up-to-date staff training, to good standards of health and safety, to keeping customers safe and well looked after. Philip makes the point that “just entering makes revalue your business”.

My tip would be that it’s always a good idea to double-check that your licenses and training are up-to-date. For example, have you checked how the changes to the HSE First Aid regulations will affect business? Are your door supervisors fully licensed?

Attending training can help you to update your skills as well as chat to fellow licensees and share ideas and inspiration. 

If you are a licensee currently looking to enter the BII Licensee of the Year Awards, or a first time publican in need of some NCPLH, First Aid or conflict management training, call us today 020 7237 6007 for our immediate attention.

Good Luck to anyone who is applying!