Red Tape

Jim Winship, Secretary of the Events Industry Forum, discusses the downfalls of relying on legislation to ensure public safety at events.

such restrictions are we not allowing the terrorists to win by curtailing our freedoms?

Legislation is never an ideal tool – indeed, as has been stated previously, it is very much a blunt instrument. While rules may work in specific terms – such as speeding – when they are applied across a broad spectrum of events/activities they become increasingly grey and open to argument.

Would it not be better if the guidelines were tightened up and organisers/venues/ suppliers required to specifically build counter terrorism measures into the risk assessments they are already expected to do?

In this way, the onus is on the event organiser to show that they have taken