Implementing 'Protect Duty' causes concern for hospitality sector

11-Jan-2022 - Last updated on 11-Jan-2022 at 09:54 GMT

Challenging year: The new regulations proposed by the Home Office pose financial concern for smaller businesses according to the NTIA (Credit: Getty/ Flashpop)

The hospitality sector has seen rising concerns regarding the cost of implementing safety measures and the lack of licensed security personnel, according to the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA).

This response from the NTIA addressed the Home Secretary’s release of detailed plans to implement ‘Protect Duty’ for night-time businesses.

NTIA CEO Michael Kill said: “Our industry takes its role in protecting our staff and customers extremely seriously and have proactively engaged with Government Departments throughout the Protect Duty consultation.

New regulations

“It’s been a challenging year for the sector, with the implementation of changing public health mitigations, and now under new regulations presented by the Home Secretary, the industry will be asked to contingency plan for potential terror threats within venues and events.

“Larger clubs, events and festivals, that work with large crowds within the public domain, address the challenges as part of their planning process, working closely with police and local authorities on counter terror measures, which will compliment much of the proposed regulations.”

The association also voiced concern for the support required by smaller independent businesses in evaluating and implementing this duty, as well as continued concern over the current state of the private security sector and the limitation on licensed resources currently in the marketplace.

Challenge for smaller businesses

Kill added: “There will be challenges for smaller businesses, which will need a considerable level of support from Government and local authorities as they assess the risk and action plan accordingly.

“It is vitally important the Government, police and local authorities work closely with businesses through this process, but also consider some of the inherent challenges from the pandemic.

“While we focus on public safety there are some concerns from the sector, particularly smaller independent businesses on the cost of implementing measures, proportionality against risk, but also wider industry concerns in particular the lack of licensed security personnel which will be a fundamental requirement as we move into the busier periods of 2022.”