Event Communication Services News

SIA licences become mandatory

From March 20th, security officers working at events will be required to be holders of an SIA licence.  The regulation is aimed at increasing public confidence and ensuring that security firms and its employees can provide accountability for their actions.

Private security is one of the fastest growing industres in the country and the SIA believes it to be an invaluable player in the reduction of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.  With this in mind, it sees the introduction  of compulsory licences as a major step forward.

However, with the March 20th deadline fast appraching, there are some 10,000 licences still backlogged in the system. This has sparked fears that many security officers may face periods without work until their licence is processed.  So perhaps it's a case of one step back, two steps forward.

Source: The Main Event

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Government gets tough with ticket touts

Event industry officials have been told they must do more to protect against the ever increasing problem of ticket touts.  The move, aimed at protecting both the consumer and the events industry itself, follows a meeting between Tessa Jowell - the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and industry leaders, where it was also agreed that the Government would be reviewing current legislation on ticket touting.

The internet has been highlighted as a particlular area of concern, following a barrage of complaints to trading standards.  Various government departments are now pressing for measures to make it much harder for unofficial online agencies to sell tickets.

As well as being responsible for hugely inflated prices, online touts have also, according to Rob Ballantine from the Concert Promoters' Association, been "speculatively selling tickets for gigs that do not even exist."

With a complete ban on ticket touting unlikely, event organisers and promoters have been urged to bring in measures similar to those used for last year's Glastonbury tickets, where personal details such as names and addresses are printed on tickets, with entry granted only to those who had accompanying photo id.

Although there have been calls for the Government to outlaw the secondary market altogether, a complete ban on touts is unlikely.  Looks like the ball is in our court.

Source: The Main Event

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info@eventcommunications.co.uk