Event security in London

What does event security cover?

At the door, officers check tickets, passes or guest lists, search bags and refuse entry to anyone your policy says shouldn’t come in. Inside, they keep walkways and fire exits clear and deal calmly with trouble. At the end, they help people leave safely and look after the venue while you pack down.

We cover public events, venues and private functions, from parties and weddings to launches and corporate events.

Which SIA licence do event staff need?

The SIA licenses individuals, and the licence someone needs depends on the work and the venue (SIA).

Door supervision at licensed premises needs an SIA door supervisor licence. Licensed premises here means a venue licensed to sell alcohol to drink on site or to put on regulated entertainment. Many events need a premises licence or a temporary event notice to do either, which usually makes them licensed premises too (SIA events guidance). At those events, security roles such as door staff and search teams need door supervisor licences. Searching people and bags to keep out banned items is licensable work, and so is refusing entry or making someone leave.

We’ll match each role to the right licence.

How do we work with organisers and venues?

We start with your event plan, the venue’s rules and any conditions on the premises licence or temporary event notice. Then we agree with you where officers stand, what they check, how they handle refusals and banned items, and who they report to on the day. If your plan calls for fire marshals, see fire marshals and fire watch.

The legal duty for public safety stays with you as the organiser, and with whoever controls the venue. Our officers carry out the security parts of your plan; they don’t replace it.

What do London events need to plan for?

Most events in London go through the local council’s licensing team, and larger ones get wider scrutiny.

• Temporary event notices. A small event that sells alcohol or puts on entertainment can often run under a temporary event notice instead of a premises licence. It must have fewer than 500 people at all times, including staff, and last no more than 168 hours. The notice must reach the council at least 10 clear working days before the event, or 5 for one of a limited number of late notices, and the police or environmental health can object.
• Premises licence conditions. Venues licensed for alcohol or entertainment often have conditions about security, such as the number of SIA door supervisors on duty at certain times. Check yours before you plan your staffing, because the conditions are a legal minimum.
• Safety Advisory Groups. For larger events, the council may convene a Safety Advisory Group of council officers, emergency services and others to advise on the event’s safety plans. HSE explains that these groups have no legal powers to approve or ban an event, and the organiser keeps the legal duties for public safety (HSE). Your security plan is part of what they’ll want to see.
• Getting people in and out. London events often fill pavements and stations at the start and the end. Queues need managing so they don’t spill into the road, and the end of the night needs as much planning as the doors opening.

What decides how many officers an event needs?

There’s no single ratio. The number comes from your event’s risk assessment and the conditions on your licence, and it depends on:

• the crowd: how many people, when they arrive, and how full the busiest areas get
• the entrances: each one needs staff, and searching bags slows entry, so a full search needs more people on the door
• alcohol and the audience: a late bar, or a crowd that’s been drinking since the afternoon, changes the cover
• the layout: exits, barriers, stairs and any area that needs controlling, such as a stage front or a VIP area
• the timing: the busiest moments are usually the doors opening and the end of the night

We work the numbers out with you from your plan, and match each role to the licence it needs.

Does Martyn’s Law apply to your event?

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn’s Law, is expected to come into force in spring 2027, with the SIA as regulator (SIA). It covers premises used wholly or mainly for the purposes the Act lists, such as shops, restaurants and pubs, venues, hotels, museums, health care, stations and education, where 200 or more people may be present at the same time. A private office or warehouse isn’t caught by its size alone. There are two tiers:

• Standard tier: premises it covers where 200 to 799 people may be present at the same time. Whoever is responsible must notify the SIA and put reasonably practicable public protection procedures in place, such as how to evacuate, invacuate or lock down. Places of worship, childcare settings, schools and further education stay in this tier however many people attend.
• Enhanced tier: premises it covers where 800 or more people may be present at the same time, and qualifying events. An event is likely to qualify if it’s open to the public, has entry checks and expects 800 or more people there at the same time, counting staff. These carry further duties, such as public protection measures and a documented security plan.

The duties fall on whoever controls the premises or the event, not on the security company. Our officers can carry out your procedures on the day, such as entry checks and searches, but they don’t take those duties on.

What should you check before you hire?

• The right licence for each role. Anyone doing door supervision needs a door supervisor licence.
• Insurance. Ask for proof of public and employers’ liability cover. We’ll send you our insurance certificate on request.
• Numbers and positions. Check the plan covers every entrance, queue and exit, and meets any conditions on your premises licence or temporary event notice.
• Who’s in charge. Ask who leads the security team on the day, and how they’ll reach you. We provide a supervisor or team leader.