Skip to main content
Contact us

Lets work
with each other.

General

+44 (0) 207 326 7840

Mail

info@galsec.co.uk
Sword

Tell us about your needs

Author: George Oliver

A stock image of a new building under construction

New building? Tenants yet to move in? No problem.

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.


New buildings cause a huge amount of interest, these may be from speculative agents trying to get an impromptu viewing without consent, often very convincingly, or it can be previous contractors who have left equipment on site. We take this responsibility seriously and will not be shoved around by people regardless of how convincing they are. Equally we provide a warm, professional welcome to authorised visitors and briefing to them of any safety concerns. In addition to this we provide a full visit report to client on who has attended the building.
At Gallowglass Security we take a comprehensive approach, to ensuring a property is secured quickly and effectively. We ensure that all members of our Property team are fully aware of the workings and running of each property, keeping our clients property safe and secure until their tenants are ready to take over the building in excellent working condition.


Why take this professional approach?

After the builders have left, there are always teething problems and knowledge gaps for the new tenant. Ensuring that you can close this knowledge gap is crucial to a building owner’s new customer. As a result we undertake a thorough hand-over on behalf of the buildings owner, ensuring everything is in working condition, before handing the building over to the new tenant through a further comprehensive handover.

What is involved in the handover?


We have a nine point check-list of duties to ensure the security of the property. We undertake these daily and every new guard double checks on the guard before, taking photographic evidence along the way, which is filed in an electronic report.


Our nine-point checking process includes:

  1. Fire and evacuation
    Our first responsibility, before anything else, is to identify all the fire exists and the assembly areas. Making sure that we keep people who may be on the premises safe is of critical importance to us.
  2. Alarms
    Most buildings have fire and intruder alarms that need regular testing on certain days at certain times. This helps to ensure they are working appropriately and also ensures that when the alarm goes at an irregular time, we know what to do and the appropriate authorities are alerted in a timely fashion.
  3. Access control systems
    Access control systems are often overlooked; however, providing access to visitors is crucial, especially when you have new tenants undertaking a recce of the building. Ensuring we know how to operate all the access and entry systems for deliveries and the front of house is crucial.
  4. Main location of work and welfare
    We ensure that we capture photographs of the main working areas and the building to identify any issues that may occur. This helps reassure our clients that we are undertaking checks regularly and any problems that may arise are spotted early.
  5. Post
    New building owners are always going to receive post and deliveries before the moving-in day. Ensuring all post is filed correctly and all deliveries are signed for is critical to ensuring a smooth start for a new tenant or building owner. As a result, our staff learn about the businesses moving into the building to ensure that all their post is categorised appropriately and finds its way to the right owners one moving-in day.
  6. Computer and phones
    Every reception desk has a computer and telephone. Ensuring our staff know how to use the systems is critical to the efficient running of the building.
  7. Keys and Codes
    Typically, new buildings will have anything up to 200 bunches of keys which will equate to 600 individual keys. The project manager will hand these over with an associated list, we immediately audit these keys to ensure none are missing. This is a laborious task and typically we expect to find between 3%-9% error. If required we will also label and provide appropriate storage.
  8. Internal patrols
    One of the most important parts of our role is to undertake an internal inspection of all floors, rooms and corridors. This includes checking all fire-exits are clear, there are no leaks, defective pipes or lightbulbs and ensuring no rubbish is left lying around untidily. We ensure our staff check all the taps, radiators and loos, to ensure that everything is working, reporting any problems to the building owner in detail.
  9. External patrols
    Our external patrol is also incredibly important. This helps us identify any security threats to the building, external damage, rubbish, defects or those that may have chosen to sleep rough. Whilst externally inspecting the building we check all emergency access routes. Look for open windows, especially on ground floor and further up the building.

Protecting a building requires a professional and thorough approach, a thorough process and exceptional customer service. Our nine point plan ensures we deliver the top guarding and front of house service for our customers.

A blue and white map of West & Central London

Front of House and security services for a premier London location

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

Gallowglass Security, working with Cluttons – an international firm of chartered surveyors – has been providing Front of House services and 24-hour security for the former MI6 headquarters in London. The 72,000 square foot, Grade A commercial property in the heart of London was originally constructed in the 1920’s as the headquarters for MI6. It was occupied under the guise of the “Minimax Fire Extinguisher Company” to maintain its secrecy.

Since MI6 and the latest tenants have left the building, it has undergone a complete refurbishment to provide high-quality, Grade A office space.

Gallowglass Security has been securing the property in advance of the next tenants moving in, with a focus on high calibre front of house services whilst managing the day-to-day signing-in contractors whilst ensuring a high-level of customer service is maintained when potential tenants arrive to view the building.

The on-site staff managing the property are supported by the head-office team. This ensures the new tenants have the appropriate risk assessments and method statements available to them prior to taking on the tenancy.

The short-term contract to secure the site and prepare the building for its new tenants has been underway for the last two weeks.

George Oliver, the Head of Gallowglass Security’s property division said: “This is an example of a high-quality team delivering a flexible and effective service for our clients. Our remit is not only the protection of the building, but front of house services, ensuring all guests and staff receive a warm and professional welcome. We take pride in our ability to deliver services above and beyond those you would expect from a security company. We ensure a consistent, professional and secure service throughout the building.”

A stock photograph showing an alarm clock amidst a pile of money, which has been arranged in ascending increments.

What you need to know: High Court Writ of Possession and Control – recovering historical rent arrears.

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

A famous restaurant in London has recently made the headlines due to a landmark case brought against this London establishment by the building’s owner. The owner is “demanding that the Wolseley’s operators Corbin & King pay all of the almost £1m of rent debt that built up while the restaurant was closed during coronavirus lockdowns” according to the Financial Times. Corbin and King have referred to the clause in their contract that states the company is not entitled to pay rent whilst unable to operate, which was signalled by the numerous lockdowns. This issue is one that is playing out up and down the country. According to the same article, estimates suggest that there is £6.4bn in unpaid rent across the UK. All of which could have an enormous impact on our city centres and high streets across the UK.

Here we look at what powers there are to pursue for rent and how tenants can get support to help manage the payments that landlords may legally be entitled to.

What is a High Court Writ of Control?

A high court writ of control is a document obtained via a designated high court enforcement officer, of a debt of £600.00 or greater. The writ itself can be obtained via a standard CCJ, or in this case, can be issued through a combined writ of possession and control whereby historical rent arrears are recoverable. It allows our enforcement officers to levy goods up to and including the value of the writ.

How do I obtain a High Court Writ of Control?

Once you have a CCJ or a possession order outlining rent arrears, Gallowglass Enforcement offers a variety of services. We offer evictions, as well as attempted recovery of the rent arrears, using experienced enforcement agents with an abundance of industry experience. Once the ‘transfer-up’ process is competed the writ will be assigned to one of our accredited enforcement agents to recover the outstanding debt.  The ‘transfer-up’ process is the process of gaining a high court writ of control from a CCJ or a possession order from the county court.

What powers does this give me to pursue a former tenant?

You can pursue the debtor for your money as long as it is within six years of the original county court judgment. A high court writ of control affords our enforcement agents the right to levy goods should the debtor decide not to pay. Our enforcement agents can also force entry to commercial premises. There is a clear advantage of using high court enforcement rather than county court, where combined warrants are not possible; the county court bailiff does not work at a commission rate so there is no incentive to chase diligently. Gallowglass also offers a tracing service, therefore enforcement on historical tenants will prove fruitful assuming a forwarding address is found.

What powers does my tenant have?

Your tenant can contest the debt by applying to the court to get the judgment set aside. This would be via Part 13 of setting aside of varying default judgment. Since rent arrears originate from non-payment of a contractual obligation on the part of the tenant, they would therefore have little if no recourse for rebuttal. However, each defence from each tenant would have its own merits and the judge would make these decisions accordingly, should the tenant choose to contest the writ. However, at the point of the writ of control issue the judge may find that the debtor has had numerous opportunities to either pay the debt, or enter mediation with the claimant.

Who can offer support to my former tenant?

There are a variety of debt support and relief services, the Citizens Advice Bureau, stepchange.org and nationaldebtline.org to name a few. They may also choose to contest the debt using their own chosen legal professional.

A security officer with a baseball cap shines a flashlight at something of interest off screen.

Demand for street patrols is back on the rise – what you need to know!

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

Over the course of COVID-19 lockdowns, cities and councils across the UK and continent saw a decreasing number of rough sleepers on the street. This was largely due to efforts by the authorities and charities to house the rough sleepers in hotels. As a result, many rough sleepers were able to access the help they needed from charities around the reasons why they had ended up on the street.

This has helped decrease the number of rough sleepers on the streets; however, where the rough sleepers have returned, they have concentrated on smaller areas populated by tourists, local residents, shoppers and restaurants. 

With the opening up of the UK to tourism, there has also been a marked rise in the number of organised beggars, especially around some the country’s shopping and eating areas. With this rise, there has been an increased demand for street patrol units to ensure that those most in need of help are able to access support.

If you are looking for street patrol support, here is a reminder of some of the top questions we are asked:

WHAT ARE STREET/FOOT PATROLS?

Street Patrols are made up of a two-man foot patrol team who are dedicated to a small area such as a retail stretch or a Business improvement district (BID). The team patrol the area providing help and support to all visitors to the area.

Our security officers engage with retailers, supporting in incidents such as shop lifting, direct outreach services to those sleeping rough and liaise and maintain a strong working relationship with local dedicated ward officers from the police services. We provide the local force with local intelligence, collecting CCTV and providing reports. This reduces pressure on their services and increases crime prevention.

WHAT DOES A STREET SECURITY TEAM DO?

Their first responsibility is customer service to all visitors to an area. We are often the first people that visitors interact with, and we are also a point of contact for tenants on behalf of landowners. Therefore, we reflect our client and are there to support and relay information to management teams to make strategic decisions.

WHY DO YOU NEED STREET/FOOT PATROLS?

The urban policing structure has changed. Although the numbers of dedicated ward officers have been maintained their areas of responsibility have increased, therefore their impact has reduced. This has been driven by a focus on counter terrorism and not on neighbourhood policing. This has seen a well-documented rise in street crime, especially on individuals and retailers. Many are targeted for their mobile phones. Street patrols act as a genuine deterrent to this type of behaviour and the improvement in areas where we work can be demonstrated by the metropolitan police own data.

HOW DO STREET/FOOT PATROLS WORK?

The two-man team focus on a designated area, this can often change throughout a day where they take on specific responsibilities depending on what is required. Typically, retailers require support in the day and restaurant areas need support at lunch and in the evening. The team aim to quickly build a rapport with shop managers, restaurant staff and front of house teams in hotel and office sectors. The team visit and collect data and general information which is collated in detailed reports and shared with the client which may be a landowner or a group of local businesses. The data is able to provide information on trends and concerns.

WHAT LICENSES DO STREET PATROL SECURITY HAVE?

All Gallowglass Security team members have a front-line SIA licence and receive a number of valuable training courses including ACT action counters terrorism, identifying vulnerable adults, fire marshalling, health and safety, customer service, and emergency communications. As a result, they are well equipped to manage a range of issues that they may face, seamlessly supporting the police, fire and ambulance services.

Gallowglass are also part of the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

Stock image of a businesswoman using AR technology for a report.

Digital reporting for physical security

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

Gallowglass Security’s digital reporting technology gives clients an unrivalled level of insight and improved security solutions, while cutting costs.

Specialist digital reporting technology, designed by Gallowglass Security, provides an unrivalled level of insight into your building, street, borough, event, and enforcement security.

Unique security reporting system

Gallowglass Security’s ability to upload information on to a secure platform – capturing security related incidents and provide digital evidence – creates cost and time efficiencies for the end client.

The reporting technology also provides an unrivalled level of report detail, which shows historical incidents which are GPS located and time stamped.    


Disclaimer. Please note that this is fictional report that has been produced for illustrative purposes only.

The technology offers clients a specially created framework, designed by Gallowglass Security’s experts, for every security service Gallowglass Security offer. The service also allows you to tailor the framework to your insurance providers specifications or individual requirements.  

Disclaimer. Please note that this is fictional report that has been produced for illustrative purposes only.

Tried and tested digital reporting technology

The technology, which has been tried and tested and is in use across multiple jobs, has halved the reporting process of old, as well as increased the information that can be shared with the client at the click of a button.

Carried on mobile devices by our physical security staff, we capture information on a timestamped, GPS coordinated reporting technology which can be immediately uploaded. This allows us to cut reporting times by half and ensuring accurate in-the-moment information is uploaded alongside images.

Johan Du Plooy said: “Our reporting helps increase accountability on every job, as well as informing our customers’ decision making. It has the potential to save our customers security and insurance costs, which has been hugely appealing to our corporate and private clients, as well as security services.”

Disclaimer. Please note that this is fictional report that has been produced for illustrative purposes only.

Security reporting app

The real-time reporting tool, carried by all personnel, allows our security experts to digitally track and log all incidents. We also provide photos, diagrams, site maps and a list of actions.

The simple to use tool, with over 60 different types of reporting forms for all the sectors Gallowglass Security work across, is designed to work in accordance with security services, allowing you to quickly access detailed information about any security incident when you work with Gallowglass Security.

Johan went on to say: “Providing proof and collecting data has never been more important. In the age of digital technology, capturing insights and providing time-stamped evidence of your security practices is critically important for insurance providers.”

For those that are interested in finding out how Gallowglass Security’s reporting technology can improve and enhance their security experience, please contact: dutyops@galsec.com

Disclaimer. Please note that this is fictional report that has been produced for illustrative purposes only.

Three security officers patrol in the blurred background. In the foreground, a fisheye lens CCTV unit watches the camer.

Street Patrols: Your street patrol questions, answered.

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

Gallowglass Security has been offering street patrols through its property division for many years. They are an effective deterrent against illegal activity, vandalism and damage to an area. They also act as support to the local police force and homeless charities. Over the course of our streets have seen significantly less footfall. As a result property owners and communities have called upon our services.

Our Head of Property, George Oliver, answers Gallowglass Security’s top 5 frequently asked questions, giving you the who, the what, the when, the why and the how.

WHAT ARE STREET PATROLS?

Street Patrols are made up of a two-man foot patrol team who are dedicated to a small area such as a retail stretch or a Business improvement district (BID). The team patrol the area providing help and support to all visitors to the area.

Our security officers engage with retailers, supporting in incidents such as shop lifting, direct outreach services to those sleeping rough and liaise and maintain a strong working relationship with local dedicated ward officers from the police services. We provide the local force with local intelligence, collecting CCTV and providing reports. This reduces pressure on their services and increases crime prevention.

WHAT DOES A STREET SECURITY TEAM DO?

Their first responsibility is customer service to all visitors to an area. We are often the first people that visitors interact with, and we are also a point of contact for tenants on behalf of landowners. Therefore, we reflect our client and are there to support and relay information to management teams to make strategic decisions.

During lock down these have been a huge support to property and portfolio managers, providing them with valuable real-time intelligence from the ground.

WHY DO YOU NEED STREET PATROLS?

The urban policing structure has changed. Although the numbers of dedicated ward officers have been maintained their areas of responsibility have increased, therefore their impact has reduced. This has been driven by a focus on counter terrorism and not on neighbourhood policing. This has seen a well-documented rise in street crime, especially on individuals and retailers. Many are targeted for their mobile phones. Street patrols act as a genuine deterrent to this type of behaviour and the improvement in areas where we work can be demonstrated by the metropolitan police own data.

HOW DO STREET PATROLS WORK?

Two-man team focus on a designated area, this can often change throughout a day where they take on specific responsibilities depending on what is required. Typically, retailers require support in the day and restaurant areas need support at lunch and in the evening. The team aim to quickly build rapport with shop managers, restaurant staff and front of house teams in hotel and office sectors. The team visit and collect data and general information which is collated in detailed reports and shared with the client which may be a landowner or a group of local businesses. The data is able to provide information on trends and concerns.

WHAT LICENSES DO STREET PATROL SECURITY HAVE?

All Gallowglass Security team members have a front-line SIA licence and receive a number of valuable training courses including ACT action counters terrorism, identifying vulnerable adults, fire marshalling, health and safety, customer service, and emergency communications. As a result, they are well equipped to manage a range of issues that they may face, seamlessly supporting the police, fire and ambulance services.

Gallowglass are also part of the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

HOW MUCH ARE STREET PATROLS?

In isolation, they can be expensive; however, many clients make excellent use of the street patrol officers through adding on ancillary services. We take on several other roles including VPI’s and property inspections, in some cases 40 a week. The real question is how much do street patrols save you in terms of reputation? The nicest parts of town are areas where people want to work, live, shop and visit. As a result, these areas are often targeted by criminals and rough sleepers, which sadly often leads to drug use in the area. Crime can have a hugely damaging effect on an area’s reputation; therefore, street patrols are hugely valuable part of ‘place making’.

The information and data collected by the teams has an enormous value in strategic decision making. The property sector requires significant amounts of investment and through our on the ground insights we have been able to help our property development partners make significant savings, offering a dramatic return on investment.  

Garbutt Place, Marylebone, London.

Octavia Hill 1838-1912 Social reformer and founder of The National Trust 1a Garbutt Place, Marylebone

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

During our work we regularly encounter people in far less fortunate situations than ourselves. This has led us to run extended projects with estate clients, Westminster council and outreach teams where we direct and support those living on the street. During COVID there are many who are unaware of how to connect with the wide range of excellent services available to them, making the role of our teams on the ground ever more important. Our work has been varied from specific medium-term projects to ongoing work done by our foot patrol teams in Marylebone and Bloomsbury and also our response teams on a day-to-day basis. Whist visiting the team undertaking our street patrols and property inspections, I spotted the blue plaque of Octavia Hill in Garbutt place. Although she is best known for being a founding member of the national trust her achievements went beyond this and are very relevant today.


Born into a family of strained finances Octavia Hill was unable to complete a formal education. This did not stop her pioneering not only social housing but social work and shaping the modern landscape. She believed that it was impossible to “deal with people and their houses separately” identifying that where and how we live has a direct impact peoples lives.
Octavia Hill worked with ruthless self-discipline and determination, identifying dilapidated housing and worked with private investors to provide sustainable housing for London’s urban poor. The first of which was on Paradise Place in London’s Marylebone, which later changed its name to Garbutt Place where her plaque is today. The buildings were anything but Paradise, most of the stairs and floor boards had been used by the tenants for firewood and were the worst of Victorian slums. She believed in a partnership between tenant and land lord, where there was responsibility to provide quality housing by one and maintenance by the other.


This led here to lay the foundation stones of not only social housing but also social work. Whilst collecting the rent on a weekly basis she used the opportunity to get to know the tenants and develop a community. Her understanding and insight led to the Settlements Movement, founded on her belief that social harmony was only achievable with mixed communities. This would prevent slums and ghetto type areas emerging. As a city London differs from so many around the globe because of this believe in social mixing, even Mayfair one of the most affluent areas in the world has a very significant amount of social housing provided by organisations such as the Peabody Trust.


Her influence is not felt just in London but hold influences worldwide, the Octavia Hill Association of Philadelphia was founded in her memory to provide housing to low and middle income city residents.
Octavia Hill identified a housing need for key workers more than an century before it became a phrase so often used today.

Her influence was not just on the urban and social landscape, fighting to prevent urban sprawl and thus saving both Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill Fields from development. This green space is always of great value to London residents rich or poor but even more so in the currant time of lock down. She is also credited with coining the term “green belt”, a term and idea used and appreciated by all of us.


Her most famous legacy is almost centrally the founding of the National Trust, saving important buildings for the nation. This however is only one part of her incredible achievements on the urban, suburban, rural and social landscape of the UK and beyond.

Queen Anne Street, Marylebone, London, with a closeup of the blue plaque belonging to Sir Patrick Manson.

The father of tropical medicine – Sir Patrick Manson 1844-1922 – 21 Queen Anne Street Marylebone

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

One of our most interesting and challenging assignments is based in Marylebone on behalf of the Howard de Walden Estate. The teams are tasked with providing street-based security and support services to all tenants and visitors to the area. These include medical facilities on Harley street, a diverse range of retailers on Marylebone High Street and an enviable selection of restaurants on Marylebone Lane. The teams are also there to respond to concerns of residents who call the area home.

Our teams have seen an increase in work load and a changing dynamic during the pandemic, their essential work has been key to supporting all estate users in a way that is beyond simply security. These duties include working with outreach teams to identify and contact rough sleepers to producing detailed vacant property inspections (VPI’s) for buildings temporally closed, giving those working remotely on the ground information quickly for a wide range of scenarios.

Whilst visiting the team it is easy to be intrigued by a great number of blue plaques that dot many of the buildings. One of these plaques is found on 21 Queen Anne Street in memory of a distant cousin of the explorer David Livingstone; Sir Patrick Manson. Born in Scotland, he proved to be gifted, not only at his academic studies but a great number of sports; perhaps most unusually for a Scotsman, even cricket. His ability academically was extraordinary, when he passed his medical degree aged 19, he was still too young to formally graduate.

On graduation he worked for a short time in Durham before moving to Taiwan. This was the start of his world changing research into tropical medicine, the effects of which are still with us today.

After his time in Taiwan, he moved to Amoy on the Chinese coast, where he became fully fluent in Mandarin and began his research into malaria. This is where he made his world changing discovery by identifying the link between malaria and mosquitos.

In 1889 he returned to the UK and took up residence at 21 Queen Anne Street and where his work continued. Joining the royal collage of physicians and becoming a chief medical officer on tropical illnesses to the government, he was also Instrumental in the foundation of The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

This remarkable organisation which he helped create is today providing research, information and on the ground action in the global struggle against COVID19.

Sir Patrick Manson saved countless lives in his own life time, as a result of his research into malaria the numbers of lives saved is countless millions and now nearly 100 years since his death his legacy continues to save many more.

Sir Patrick’s work resonated with us. While Gallowglass Security cannot offer medical expertise, we do support those that can; whether this be supporting the GLA and housing the homeless, working to protect the test facility in Brockwell Park, ensuring the hotels hosting returning travellers are kept safe, or providing expert health and safety advice to up-and-coming events organisations, we are dedicated to helping others, just like Sir Patrick Manson.

Gallowglass Security officers in facemasks on duty at a quarantine hotel during COVID.

Hotel Quarantine Security

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

During the early stages of the global pandemic and the initial lock downs, Gallowglass Security were tasked with providing services to a large number of hotels in and around London who were providing accommodation to rough sleepers. During this time our front line staff deployed their skills to manage challenges presented by those not only suffering from COVID19 but the support and medical staff who were helping them.

Gallowglass Security’s health and safety and management teams have quickly adapted to the new environment which was changing on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. The Gallowglass Security teams lead by Nick and Peter developed new working practices and protocols to keep not only our team but others as safe as possible during a rapidly unfolding COVID situation.

Situation with the new quarantine hotels, introduced by law on the 15th of February for travellers arriving from 33 “red list” countries, is different however, Gallowglass Security has unique insight on how these hotels can be mobilised and managed going forward. Being one of the few companies who are under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), where police Chief Constables can choose to devolve limited powers to companies and staff like ours. This further galvanises our thoughts on how and where our industry can support the UK during the global pandemic.  

Many people have cited the Australian model as one which should be copied in the UK as they have suffered just 28,918 cases. There a number of scientific factors that we do not have the expertise to comment on but facts such as population density and climate is a known factor. For Gallowglass, looking at practicalities of Australian quarantining procedures we offer insights on how these may be carried out in the UK.

The main difference between people travelling to the UK and Australia is the type of transport used. The vast majority of travellers arriving in Australia will do so by air, this makes the logistics of social distancing between arrivals and the general population a simpler task. By comparison in the UK we have far more transport hubs and links, many in major areas of population including train, ferry and airport terminals. This will add an additional layer of complication for those in the UK tasked with mobilisation and deployment.

Australia originally employed private security to guard the hotels, this proved unsuccessful do to the professionalism of the staff deployed. This led the Australian government to use police forces to provide this security service at quarantine hotels. In the UK we are faced with a different set of circumstances however the same problems. Firstly the UK will have different logistical situation, the location of hotels and the way people enter into the country. From a government perspective there is a requirement not only to have more quarantine hotels but spread out over a much larger geographical area. This will still be a requirement if the numbers of arrivals is comparatively small as they cannot be concentrated around a handful of international airports like the Australian model.

The UK already has a much stretched police and armed forces services who may be able to lead on this project however will not be able to staff the whole deployment. The advantage the UK has over Australia is a well-developed and professional private security industry. Gallowglass is one of a handful of CSAS companies who are trained to support and liaise with police during a wide range of scenarios. This affords not only the government but the community as a whole a wider range of resources to draw upon.

There is a huge amount of public approval for the quarantine process, 90% in a recent YouGov poll, this means that there will not only be public opinion but pressure to ensure these hotels are run to the highest professional security standard and why Gallowglass Security is uniquely placed to help.

Gallowglass Security is offering security support to hotels helping foreign and UK nationals arriving back into the UK.

Hotels housing those that need to go into 10 days quarantine require professional, experienced security with a deep understanding of health and safety protocols during COVID.

Using our extensive experience of supporting the Greater London Authority and working with our hotel partners to house the homeless during COVID, we will be supporting hotels that are offering rooms to those going into self-isolation, for those coming from outside of the UK.

If you are interested in Gallowglass Security’s services, support for safeguarding your guests or advice around the appropriate Health and Safety precautions you need to take, please email us on dutyops@galsec.co.uk or call us on 02073 267 840

A sheaf of paper with the title "Commercial and Facilities Management for Lockdown and Beyond"

Front of House; Building Manager; Security Guard: One person, three jobs

Written by George Oliver on . Posted in Articles.

Sadly, due to the Pandemic, it is impossible to keep all three roles active. A limited number of staff and visitors are coming into the building; therefore, reception and front of house staff are largely manning empty reception halls. However, checking on the buildings health and ensuring the site is secure remains critical. A burst pipe, running tap, faulty heating system or broken air conditioning units can cause damage to the building and even effect the company’s ability to work remotely, if servers are kept on site.

Asa result, we are seeing increased demand for an individual that can service all three roles; front of house, security and site inspection, at a fraction of the cost.

This has led Gallowglass Security to fill a new and developing service based on our highly experienced and dedicated existing team.

Historically we have always provided more than simply reception or security, many of our team started in security, but have developed significant building management experience as well as Front of House training from our very own, Amr Fadl, a former concierge at The Ritz and Browns Hotel.

While we can provide front of house and security services, we have also trained our team to have a strong technical knowledge and understanding of how buildings work. Through the wider Gallowglass Security team we can pull on resources to solve most problems without fuss.

Our team also has multi building experience and the confidence to start at an unfamiliar property and immediately get to work. They have the expertise to read existing building manuals and standard operating procedures and instinctively know what needs to be delivered and how. They are able to communicate problems to the property manager coherently and effectively. The team can also communicate with contractors regarding remedial work whilst constantly updating the property’s managers.

This unique skill also comes with the added benefit of Gallowglass Security flexibility and response. We are able to deploy with minimal notice and without lengthy minimum contracts. This gives building managers the ability to call on support when and where they most need it for as long or short a time as they require.

Further advantages of the wider Gallowglass Security support comes when things don’t go to plan. When a problem or work overruns we can continue to provide staff. If a leak is not fixed by the end of a shift, we will immediately deploy a fresh team member, we will not simply say “sorry times up I am going home”. We see all our work through to the end.

We offer this service based on years of experience proving the service as reliable, flexible and cost effective for our customers.

  • 1
  • 2