“Happy to swap an Oasis ticket for a two-bed house…”

Security Industry Authority

With the Oasis reunion predicted to generate millions, will the event security get the investment it deserves..?

So, the dynamic pricing row rumbles on. And now the consumer group Which? is weighing in on the debate. Earlier this week Which? called on Ticketmaster and Oasis to refund fans who had paid for over-inflated tickets to their 2025 reunion gigs. The tickets have a face value of £150. But after fans spent hours sacrificing their sanity to the virtual queue gods, many found the price had jumped to over £350 by the time they reached the end of the queue. Talk about a slap in the face! As the timer counted down, fans were forced into making a split-second decision.

Was £350 really worth standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a packed stadium to see one of  Britain’s most iconic bands? For many, the answer – however reluctant – was yes. “I’m paying £361 to stand in my local park,” lamented one fan. Well, at least the pigeons are free… Some music lovers are seeing it as an opportunity. A colleague dropped this gem in our group WhatsApp chat: “Got a pair of Oasis tickets for sale… happy to swap for a two bedroom  end-of-terrace house!” I assume she was joking, but in this market, who knows? The more I read about the situation, the more frustrated I become. And it’s not just the absurd ticket prices that make my blood boil…

According to some estimates, the tour is expected to rake in £400M. With that much cash flowing, you’d like to think the security will be top-notch. And maybe it will be. Unfortunately, history suggests otherwise… Advantage One has been asked to quote for security at major events in the past, but we’ve often declined. Why? Because, in my experience, most companies aren’t willing to
pay for quality security. The official event stewarding course alone takes over a week to complete and is one of the priciest in the industry. But when we explain this to event organisers, they usually baulk at the cost and retreat faster than a Gallagher brother mid-interview!

For too many organisers, security is seen as little more than a box-ticking exercise – an unfortunate reality that should have changed after the Manchester Arena bombing. Enter Martyn’s Law. If passed, this legislation would require event organisers to put safety systems in place to protect the public. A step in the right direction, certainly, but here’s the catch: it still doesn’t mandate the level of training security personnel should have and it certainly does not dictate that every security person must have relevant knowledge and training. Technically, you only need one SIA licensed door  supervisor to oversee five or six unlicensed stewards. Yep, you heard that right – most stewards don’t even need to be licensed.

And even when they are licensed, there’s no guarantee that the training they’ve had is up to scratch, thanks to rogue training providers (but that’s a rant I’ll save for another day!). Add this to the fact that only a voluntary choice of Company accreditation means that these people even need to be vetted! However, it’s not just about the officers themselves… For security to work, event organisers must be crystal clear about what’s expected from their personnel. Without specific instructions and a well-thought-out plan, you’re left with security officers who have little idea what they’re actually supposed to be doing.

Security should never just be about a perfunctory bag search and a vacant nod at the door. In my view, it needs to form part of the overall event experience – something I believe would be welcomed by the public. Officers should be actively engaging with the public, striking up conversation and making people feel safe. They should also be ensuring no one leaves the venue with lighter pockets than they came in with. Because after spending hundreds of pounds on tickets, the least you can expect is to return home with your wallet! The Oasis gigs will be a huge money-maker. Let’s hope the organisers are prepared to invest, even just a small part of it, in the security it deserves.

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