Gallowglass Security Partners LLP & the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID 19)

Introduction

Despite a new lockdown commencing on Thursday in England, we are delighted to confirm that our office remains open for business. We will remain fully operational not only to meet our current contractual commitments to our valued clients, but also to be available 24/7 to service all new client requirements arising from the exigencies posed by an uncertain future from the pandemic.

Our ability to provide an unbroken chain in our continuity of our service is derived from years of accumulated knowledge and wisdom, together with tested disaster recovery and contingency plans, which we have merged with our own successful pandemic specific planning. Perhaps above all though; our systems, process’s and mettle were tested the first lockdown, and we were not found wanting.  

Our capacity for rapid reaction and outstanding service delivery during the first lockdown, was best exemplified by our immediate response to a request for assistance from the Greater London Authority to provide security support for rough sleepers being provided with temporary accommodation at various London hotels. Such was the positive impact that we made on account of the speed and excellence in service delivery, that we were instructed by the City of Westminster, Havering and Waltham Forest Councils to provide similar security support.

The Gallowglass Approach

As with all other business’s we are not immune from the virus. To minimise the risk of Covid transmission, we have introduced robust control measures, derived from advice provided by Government Policy, the NHS, and Public Health England as well as ongoing Covid awareness training for all staff to ensure safe systems of work.

Daily meetings at Partnership level with our own in house H&S professional take place, with changes to control measure being introduced and communicated in real time as they are needed. We  continue to monitor closely the welfare and effectiveness our guard force, and encourage close and regular liaison with all clients so that there is harmony in the safe working systems that we create..

Whilst we intend to maintain a full office, home working is an option for those who would prefer to do so. We anticipate the possibility of both dislocation to public transport, and school and child care closure. In such situations home working will be a necessity for some, and to that end our IT support have facilitated remote access for all office staff members so that our internal communications remain fully integrated.

Our supply chain is robust, and we have a large professional and screened guard force to draw upon. It has been recently strengthened with many becoming available for service given the recent downturn in outdoor events. Our teams work in small groups and independently of one another, thereby limiting the risk of cross infection. This adds greatly to the flexibility that we offer together with our ability to deploy 24/7 with little or no notice at all.

Our immediate planning includes maintaining service provision in the event of public transport being suspended. We will rely on our own transport fleet to take and collect guards from work as well as mini bus hire should it prove necessary so that there is no dislocation to service.

Client Risk

The current lockdown, taken together with the present febrile political climate poses many challenges and tangible risk and potential business dislocation to many of our clients, on a scale without parallel in recent times.

We anticipate that our clients; their people, property and assets are at increased risk arising from:

• Squatting
• Burglary, particularly in smaller blocks
• Architectural theft of valuable fittings
• An upswing in the need for reactive call outs to building failures such as leaks.
• Anti social behaviour and public disorder
• Security and concierge staff shortages

In any of these scenarios, we will provide security cover for you where and when you need it.

In the event of prolonged office closure, many insurance Companies will insist upon a regular attendance and inspection and reporting regime to maintain the ongoing validity of building insurance, a demand that we can facilitate.

The Gallowglass Service

In response to the crisis, we are available to identify, mitigate and reduce risk to your portfolio. We will do so at short notice, and are willing and able to deploy, as our track record illustrates, twenty four hours a day; with emergency property patrols call outs, regular internal and external property reporting, foot patrols, private residential patrols, uniformed man guarding site security, and in house staff cover. Moreover, we are highly flexible and will adapt to the needs of special projects as our involvement with the rough sleepers vividly illustrates.

We will deploy if required at any site, be it at businesses, dwelling or commercial property, Schools, Council buildings, Churches, Hospitals, Doctors Surgery’s and so on. In the event that your property is squatted, we can, with our in house High Court Enforcement team arrange for its prompt recovery together with post recovery security if required.

Contacts

If you need our assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us in any of the following ways.

Office phone number –  0207 326 7840 

Out of hours phone number – 07817 790 035

Email – info@galsec.co.uk

Website – www.gallowglasssecurity.co.uk