Information & Support for Door Supervisors - National Doorwatch

Norwich keeps things interesting by using system originally designed for gambling addicts who wanted to ban themselves from casino's.

Norwich Door Supervisors and Licencees take the initiative in the battle to keep their customers safe from the anti-social brigade!

Norwich has been in the news recently as the trial of Steven Hopkins, facing manslaughter charges, culminated in his accquital, thanks to the efforts of his defence team.  Given that any death on what should just have been a happy occaision, is a tragedy for all concerned, the National Doorwatch Steering Group (NDSG) accepted an invitation to visit the City and hear about their "Red Card" system.  Norwich is one of a growing number of City's where this type of programme is in place or being introduced.  

The system is based on a community action programme called SIRCS.  It was originally set up to help  gambling addicts overcome their problems.  Essentially the addicts put themselves on the system, and asked that all those Casino's, Betting Shops, etc, taking part in the programme, to bar them from the premises.  This has been very successful in helping them stay strong in their moments of weakness.  Needless to say it wasn't long before others saw a way of using this as a means of curbing anti-social behaviour in the Night-Time Economy.

The system used in Norwich and elsewhere in the UK enables Door Supervisors, acting as agents for the licensee, to issue anti-social customers with a red card.  These incidents are recorded and entered onto the SIRC computer system.  This information is then circulated to all those participating in the scheme - and the individual concerned is then potentially banned from all those venues.  It has a proper appeals process in place which is run by the licencees association.  As Steve Barber said "before this system Door Supervisor's were dependent on the Licencee for finding out who was banned.  Now all they have to do is log-in and they can see whats going on all over the local area.  That makes it safer for us, and safer for the people who come out to enjoy themselves at night."   

The NDSG has spoken to other area's using the scheme and recieved mixed reviews, but overall the tone was positive.  The main concerns are about the Door Supervisors role, and the potential for the threat of a card or ban, to actually cause more trouble.  The other concerns surround the securiity of the data, and the location of the database servers.  The main benefits were felt to be the customers being aware that if they were banned it would severely limit their social life.  On the Saturday night the NDSG were there, Norwich certainly felt a safe place to go out for the night.