Keeping Your Licensed Premises Safe During the Christmas Period

Keeping Your Licensed Premises Safe During the Christmas Period

The Christmas season is one of the busiest — and most challenging — times of the year for licensed premises. With higher footfall, festive celebrations, increased alcohol consumption, and seasonal staff, the risks can rise quickly.

Keeping Your Licensed Premises Safe During the Christmas Period

A safe, well-managed venue not only protects staff and customers but also supports the licensing objectives and helps avoid enforcement issues at a time when your premises is most visible.

Here’s a practical guide to keeping your licensed premises safe throughout the Christmas period.

1. Strengthen Staff Training and Briefings

In December, you’ll often have new or temporary staff who may not be fully familiar with your policies. This makes training essential.

Key areas to cover:

• Challenge 25 and age verification

• Identifying signs of intoxication

• Refusal procedures

• Incident reporting

• Drugs awareness

• Emergency procedures and evacuation routes

• Managing queues and customer flow

Tip: Hold a short briefing before each shift. Even 10 minutes can prevent major issues later.

2. Increase Visibility of Door Staff and Floor Walks

With busier evenings and Christmas parties, door and floor supervision becomes crucial.

• Schedule extra SIA door staff for peak nights

• Make regular floor walks to spot issues early

• Position staff near high-risk areas (toilets, stairways, smoking areas)

• Monitor noise levels, overcrowding, and intoxication

Visible staff presence deters disorder and reassures customers.

3. Maintain Strong Age Verification Procedures

Christmas brings larger groups — including younger customers trying to enter with a group or using borrowed ID.

Keep your policy consistent:

• Operate Challenge 25

• Use ID scanners where possible

• Accept only valid forms of ID (passport, driving licence, PASS card)

• Document all refusals in your refusals register

Consistency protects both customers and your licence.

4. Be Proactive About Intoxication Management

Alcohol consumption increases during the festive season, and so does the risk of over-intoxication.

Ensure staff can:

• Recognise early signs of drunkenness

• Slow service politely

• Offer water or food options

• Record refusals

• Communicate concerns to supervisors

Allowing clearly drunk individuals to be served can lead to serious licensing consequences — including a review of your premises licence.

5. Strengthen Your Search and Drugs Policy

Christmas often sees a rise in drug use in nightlife environments.

• Carry out risk-based searches at busy times

• Maintain a clear drugs policy

• Provide staff with training to recognise drug use

• Use toilet checks and anti-tampering kits

• Ensure your incident report logs all findings

• Work closely with local police and licensing officers

A proactive strategy protects your venue and supports customer safety.

6. Manage Queues and Crowd Control

Overcrowding is a key risk during busy festive nights.

Actions to take:

• Use barriers or ropes to manage queues

• Monitor maximum occupancy

• Keep fire exits clear and unobstructed

• Control access to high-risk areas

• Plan customer flow around the bar

Crowd control helps maintain a positive atmosphere and prevents accidents or conflict.

7. Review Your CCTV and Lighting

Before the Christmas rush begins, ensure all your equipment is compliant and working.

• Check all cameras are functioning

• Keep recordings for the required retention period

• Ensure lighting outside and around entrances is adequate

• Verify that camera views are not blocked by decorations or temporary displays

CCTV is essential evidence if incidents occur.

8. Update Your Risk Assessments

Christmas changes your normal operating environment.

Update:

• Fire risk assessments

• Staffing rotas and responsibilities

• Noise management plans

• Queue and crowd management plans

• Incident and dispersal procedures

If conditions change, your documentation should too.

9. Consider Your Neighbours and Local Community

Late-night noise, smoking areas, and queues can all lead to complaints — especially at Christmas.

• Manage smoking areas responsibly

• Encourage quiet dispersal

• Use signage to remind customers to respect neighbours

• Work proactively with local residents if issues arise

Protecting community relations reduces the risk of complaints and enforcement visits.

10. Work in Partnership With Authorities

Christmas is a period of increased monitoring by:

• Police

• Licensing officers

• Trading Standards

• Environmental Health

Cooperation goes a long way. Invite them to walk through the premises, discuss your plans, and demonstrate your compliance measures.

Final Thoughts

Keeping Your Licensed Premises Safe During the Christmas Period. The Christmas period can be hugely successful for licensed premises — but only if safety and compliance are prioritised. By preparing your staff, managing risk, and showing proactive leadership, you create a safe, welcoming environment that protects both your business and your customers.

A well-managed venue is not only safer, but also more profitable, as customers return to places where they feel comfortable and secure.

Need Support?

If you’d like help with:

• Staff training

• Licensing compliance

• Risk assessments

• Christmas safety planning

Get in touch with Licensing Professionals for expert support.