Door supervisor

Door supervisors are on duty at licensed premises and places of regulated entertainment like nightclubs, pubs and discos. They are responsible for keeping order and ensuring the comfort, safety and security of customers and staff. They enforce club regulations on who can come in, and on dress code, carry out safety checks and liaise with the police.

Also known as:

Bouncer

Work activities

Door supervisors check on people going in and out of hotels, pubs, clubs, casinos and other licensed venues. In clubs and pubs, they also calm people down in tense or aggressive situations so that both customers and staff are able to enjoy the evening. Door supervisors make sure that customers are dressed according to club rules, for example, some venues refuse entry to people wearing trainers or jeans. Other clubs restrict entry to couples only.

Door supervisors are responsible for:

Meeting and greeting customers.
Queue management outside venues.
Checking proof of age.
The safety and comfort of customers.
Making sure that fire safety regulations are followed.
Checking fire equipment and emergency exits.
Being aware of licensing regulations.
Searching customers for drugs and weapons.
Watching behaviour inside the venue.
Dealing with situations such as when customers are drunk or abusive.

They might have to count people going in and out to make sure that fire and safety regulations are not being broken. When the legal limit is reached, they might have to stop people going in. Door supervisors record details of any incidents that occur and sometimes need to give evidence to the police. If someone tries to use a false ID to gain entry, a door supervisor can ask them to hand it over. The door supervisor records details about the person, fills in an entry in the incident book, and hands the ID in to the police. Door supervisors often work in pairs, and in larger venues they work as members of a team. They are usually responsible for making sure that people leave the premises safely at the end of an event. They might spend several hours standing outside in all types of weather. When they are inside, they might be working in a noisy, hot environment. Door supervisors must be willing to wear a uniform if required. They often wear radio headsets to keep in contact with other staff.

Personal qualities and skills

As a door supervisor, you’ll need to be:

Responsible and alert.
Able to keep calm and fair with all customers in sometimes difficult situations.
Observant and polite, with good communication skills.
Tactful and diplomatic.
Able to sort out an aggressive situation or resolve conflict without putting yourself or those around you in unnecessary danger.
Prepared to work late nights and weekends.
In good physical condition, as you could spend a long time on your feet.
Confident and assertive.
Prepared to work with a variety of people and able to work in a team.

Pay and opportunities

Rates of pay for door supervisors vary throughout the country. Salaried door supervisors can earn in the range of £17,000, rising to £28,000 with experience and for more senior positions.

Door supervisors usually work a 4- to 5-hour shift and might do three to four shifts in a week on average. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest. In pubs, door supervisors usually work from 7pm to 11.30pm. In other venues, they work unsocial hours (often from late evening until the early hours of the morning).

Employers include security companies, hotels, pubs, clubs and other licensed venues. Opportunities for door supervisors occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Opportunities occur for door supervisors to work on a self-employed basis.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, on job boards, such as jobsecurity.co.uk, on the Government’s Find a Job service. Many self-employed door supervisors register with agencies that find work for them.

Entry routes and training

Door supervisors must hold a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to operate legally. To obtain an SIA licence, they must:

Be at least 18.
Take approved training.
Gain a national qualification in their sector.
Pass an identity and criminal records check.

The SIA has a list of training providers endorsed by several awarding bodies. A level 2 (intermediate) apprenticeship in the role of professional security operative is also great place to start.

Any further training generally takes place both on- and off-the-job. Relevant units for door supervisors are available in the Certificate in Providing Security Services.

Experienced door supervisors could be in charge of a small team of up to eight others. There might be opportunities for promotion to area supervisor with some agencies and employers.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Working as a door supervisor is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to. Not all criminal records will prevent you from applying for an SIA licence. If you have a criminal record, the SIA will look at how recent, how serious and how relevant the record is. The SIA has a Criminal Record Indicator on its website where you can check anonymously whether you would be eligible for an SIA licence.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through an apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to hold a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.

Some applicants have a background in security or police.

Relevant attended, short courses lead to SIA licensing. A list of training providers is available from the SIA website.

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