12 September 2008: Security Industry Authority (SIA) investigators visited licensed premises in North Derbyshire as part of a two-day intelligence gathering exercise.

Investigators visited 37 licensed premises across Chesterfield town centre, Clowne and Bolsover.

Jacqueline Parker, an SIA Head of Investigation said:

"Whilst the majority of licensed premises were adhering to the law, we did find some non-compliance.

We will be contacting the company directors deploying door staff to work with them to improve their compliance levels.

We also encourage licensees to be certain that they are operating within the law when employing door staff for their own, their customers and the public's benefit and recommend that they use the SIA's Register of Licence Holders to check the validity of licences.

We are planning future operations with Derbyshire Constabulary and the Chesterfield Borough Council to ensure that door staff and licensees are operating legally."

Notes to Editors:

• SIA licences can be checked through the Register of Licence Holders, available 24-hours on the SIA website.
• The maximum penalty for committing an offence such as working without a licence or supplying unlicensed staff is six months' imprisonment and/or fine up to £5,000 (or trial on indictment to crown court, whereby an unlimited fine and/or five years' imprisonment could be imposed).