FGH Security creates network for supplying security personnel to UK supermarkets

The Coronavirus crisis has exerted a serious impact on the door supervision sector. Events and festivals have been cancelled en masse, of course, while bars and nightclubs have necessarily closed their doors as regular customers stay at home in order to observe social distancing rules necessarily imposed by the Government.

Peter Harrison, managing director at FGH Security, knew that many security businesses found themselves in a similar situation due to the crisis and saw an opportunity. He suggested that a group of security companies work together to deploy door supervisors at supermarkets. As an essential service, supermarkets have remained open. Their need for security was increasing as a direct result of the social distancing rules and due to the support required to manage additional customer demand.

Along with FGH Security’s marketing director David Hassall, Harrison contacted door supervision-focused security companies around the UK. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Within 72 hours, 50 door supervision businesses had teamed up and 1,700 security operatives were mobilised to work in supermarkets across the country.

At present, Lancaster-based FGH Security has over 175 companies within its new network and 51 of them are currently working directly with the business as delivery partners.

Pivot and adapt

When the SIA asked Harrison about how he and his business had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said: “We’ve partnered with security companies around the UK and responded to make sure that security operatives kept their jobs. It was a case of pivot and adapt rather than go bust. There wasn’t much capacity within security guarding companies, but there were door supervisors with the necessary skills who were ready and willing to work.” 

Harrison continued: “Most of the businesses are SMEs and rely on a few contracts. By working together, we can keep afloat and respond to demand in many locations, from the Isle of Wight through to London and on again right up to Edinburgh. What’s really interesting is that some security businesses are busier now than they were before COVID-19 because there’s a high demand from supermarkets. The security industry is like that, though. We’re a resilient and hard-working bunch.”

There are over 400,000 licensed security operatives in the UK and, like Harrison and his team at FGH Security, many continue to operate as critical workers and key workers by actively providing protection for hospitals and sheltered accommodation, supporting social distancing in supermarkets and conducting other essential operations.

Ian Todd, CEO at the SIA, stated: “It’s important to remember that many individuals within the security industry are working as critical and key workers during this emergency. FGH Security’s story is testament to the fact that, despite the myriad challenges, many operatives and businesses are going the extra mile to serve their communities.” 

#SIAHeroes campaign  

Commendably, the SIA is busily promoting the industry’s dedication and commitment through the #SIAHeroes campaign whereby it shares so many inspiring stories of security operatives who are keeping the public safe and secure at this critical time. Read all of the #SIAHeroes stories online.

The SIA has been running the campaign for the last year and, during COVID-19, is actively seeking to raise the profile of the contribution that front line private security industry personnel and businesses are making in response to the crisis.