Leisure Sector Management: Focusing on Best Practice

The last few years have been extremely tough for owner-operators in the leisure sector, with the global recession hitting consumer confidence in a big way.

Many of those who wouldn’t think twice about spending a decent proportion of their disposable income on travel and tourism, sporting events, concerts, going to the theatre or toning their muscles down at the local gym have reined in discretionary spending.

Back in 2011, the UK leisure market was worth about £66bn to UK Plc. Sounds like a good deal of money, and indeed it is, but bear in mind that figure was £4bn lower than the equivalent statistic published four years earlier when the economic downturn – and, thereafter, the Government’s austerity measures – began to bite.

The leisure sector employs just shy of two million people in the UK alone – that’s 10% of the total employed population. To thrive in a fiscally difficult climate, leisure sector managers must demonstrate an attention to quality, innovation and value for money.

Brand and reputation are arguably more important than ever and it’s fair to say that rapid and seamless delivery is very much the name of the leisure game.

Security, health and safety, fire prevention

In equal measure, leisure environments must be seen as inviting, safe, secure, clean and ‘eco-friendly’. These are the qualities that engage and attract a positive attitude from individuals and corporate clients.

Leisure sector managers play a major role in these deliverables, often tasked with, for example, procuring security, monitoring health and safety issues and making sure everything’s in place when it comes to fire prevention and protection.

Security provision for venues will inevitably focus on CCTV, access control and intruder alarms. In the surveillance space, we’ve seen a move from analogue to digital cameras and, of late, the introduction of a new Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.

Access control solutions have also proceeded apace, with the advent of multi-function cards and the continual development of biometric systems.

Given the rather litigious nature of today’s society, venue managers must always be abreast of Health and Safety. Slip and fall injury claims have burgeoned, for example, but the right CCTV in the right places will capture any bogus episodes (and, hence, save the host business money).

In terms of fire safety, what action ought to be taken on discovery of a fire outbreak? Are there regularly practised evacuation procedures in place? Is there an appointed assembly area for staff away from the building?

Have members of the team been taught how to interpret information displayed on the fire alarm panels? How should fire-fighting equipment be selected and, ultimately, deployed?

There’s also a defined and ongoing need to keep false security and fire alarm scenarios to a minimum, but what are the best ways of doing so in the real world?

System solutions, education, networking

The good news for any leisure sector managers seeking best practice ice or information on the latest system solutions is that, in just a few months’ time, they can find everything they need under one roof.

Organised by UBM, the Protection and Management Series runs at London’s ExCeL Exhibition and Conference Centre from 17-19 June 2014. Collectively, the P&M Series attracts 45,000 visitors and more than 1,600 exhibitors.

Featuring numerous co-located exhibitions – among them IFSEC International, FIREX International, Safety and Health Expo, The Facilities Show and Energy and Environment Expo – there are also dedicated academies offering an unrivalled conference and forum programme.

Click here to register for the Protection and Management Series.

Supported by – among others – the BSIA, ADS, ASIS and The Security Institute, IFSEC International focuses on all aspects of security, encompassing video surveillance, intruder detection, access control, integrated solutions, the key-critical subject of IT and cyber security, perimeter protection and physical security.

At FIREX International, more than 170 providers will showcase the latest technology in fire detection and prevention. UBM works closely with key stakeholders in the fire safety arena, including the Fire Industry Association, the Association of Specialist Fire Protection, the Fire Protection Association and the Loss Prevention Certification Board.

The Facilities Show is the only UK-located FM exhibition supported by the British Institute of Facilities Management and, like its counterparts in the Protection and Management Series, offers high-level networking and education opportunities.

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