5 minute read
STAY SAFE & SECURE
Here we talk to Anthony Howell, Director of TGS Security Services for over 18 years, who specialise in a wide range of services, from tour management to close protection and advanced security at venues, listing many A listers and international events as clients.
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“We help you to create an event or project, making it fun and entertaining whilst mindful of keeping the public safe and compliant of the latest regulations. Our priority is always to protect you, your team and your premises, ensuring everyone has a great experience while staying safe. From the concept stage to the event, we consult on all aspects, and in the pandemic, put a strategy in place to keep everyone safe.
We asked Anthony about the impact that Covid has had on the security industry and where he predicts we will be in 2021.
How has the Pandemic impacted your business?
We had to look at our business as a whole, the events industry was hit really badly and at that time were affected around 60% of our bookings, very quickly we had to look at different angles and pivot the business in a new direction.
How did you pivot the business?
Initially we focused on consultancy with some of the local authorities and the hospitality industry, with all the new rules and regulations, it became really important that industries had someone to help and guide them.
Staff were faced with managing venues in a way that had never been experienced before and were untrained. We helped venues in and around London to manage the transition period, we know its vital that we do not create Covid 19 hotspots and help to keep everyone safe.
With the increase of the spread and further lockdowns this was a fast moving target and it was imperative to maintain a calm and professional service at all times. Having managed events with huge crowds, my team were experienced at looking where things could go wrong and putting a strategy in place ready.
What happened after that?
As the restrictions became tighter and hospitality was forced to reduce, we realised for the first time ever there were a lot of empty buildings, hotels and industrial buildings that would normally have a full complement of staff and customers that were in need of additional security, and that we approached companies to advise and secure the buildings.
We discovered also a need for a service labelled as Waking Watch whereby a guard was required to be on site 24 hrs a day in the event of a fire or emergency and quickly secured these too.
How do you see the future of security in 2021?
Firstly we plan to continue to help businesses to reopen and remain Covid safe, by working closely with our partners to ensure that they are compliant with all Covid regulations and ensure both they and their teams are protected, but also that the business is protected and can function.
Speaking of the events industry, I predict a slower recovery until the vaccine has been rolled out and then the future of the hospitality industry will begin. For the foreseeable future we will have increased security and protection for the general public and the advice I say to anyone is to call me, we offer a free Covid consultation. It is vitally important that you have the advice of an experienced crowd management consultant, it isn’t just about security guards. It’s about securing a venue or event, protecting the business and the public, extra training and extra equipment as well, to be sure we meet the COVID-19 regulations.
With over 18 years experience in crowd management, we look for all the things most people do not consider, event planners sometimes focus on the procedure and don’t consider, should something go wrong, how they would manage that safely, that is where we come in and put a worst case strategy in place.
I also feel customer service skills are going to be a top priority because you are going to be saying ‘no’ to people and educating them on the new ways, saying, sorry unfortunately, you can’t do this anymore due to COVID-19, but one day you will be, once we come out the pandemic.
Anthony laughs, I was on tour and at a festival and there wasn’t any jerk chicken, now I love Jerk Chicken, so I asked around and checked the caterers and it turned out it wasn’t there, speaking to the organiser he said, well, why don’t you do something? So I did. So I created a Jerk Chicken brand and a trailer and mobile catering staff.
Anthony, 18 years in Security travelling the world, where did the idea for Jam Rock your catering company come from?
Since then when we can we take the Jerk Chicken to the Festivals, the crowds and the acts love it. Caribbean food on a premium level, we cover vegan and vegetarian too, when I see a problem I like to provide a solution too, but everyone eats, pops in and has a laugh. It’s a nice vibe. I like it.
Tell us about your School in Jamaica, a project close to your heart.
On holiday in Jamaica around 10 years ago a friend and I noticed that the island suffered from a lack of education. There is something locally called brain drain – this means most of the skilled people in the Caribbean normally immigrate to America or come to the UK or Canada, which leaves the island lacking resource, so we created a charity and school to help this change. I felt this was my chance to help and give back, I feel really lucky in my life and if I could just help change a child’s future then that would be a great thing to do.
I started security for an additional income, whilst still a manager in the government department and I saw the potential of the starting a company and how that could help my family so I pursued it. Would this have worked for anybody? I’m going to say no, but I was lucky it worked for me.
