This month, we sat down with Tim Carey, Head of Operations in Yorkshire, to talk about security in Leeds city centre.
Tim shares insights into the challenges of nightlife security, the scale of our door supervisor teams, and the proactive solutions we deliver. From iconic bars and premium restaurants to hotels, student venues, and competitive socialising spots, discover how we safeguard over 140 venues each week with consistency, leadership, and a strong safety-first culture.
Absolutely. Leeds is one of our largest and busiest cities. We protect over 140 venues here, ranging from iconic nightlife spots like Fibre and Carousel, to premium restaurants such as Ivy Asia and Tattu, plus hotels, student bars, and competitive socialising venues like Roxy Lanes and Point Blank. On a typical week, we provide 4,600 hours of security coverage, and during peak times like Freshers’ Week or Christmas, that rises to 8,500 hours
It comes down to leadership and presence. In Leeds, we have four Area Managers plus myself and our Operations Manager, Dan Chenery, all actively engaged in the city. We’re not sitting in offices – we’re out on the streets, checking in with our teams, supporting our clients, and making sure standards are met. Every door supervisor checks in for their shift, and we carry out regular management walk-throughs. It’s about building a strong work culture where everyone knows the expectations.
Leeds is a diverse city with a strong student population, so nightlife and hospitality security are top priorities. We manage crowd control, ID checks, conflict resolution, VIP security, and ensure guest safety in high-traffic environments. We also focus heavily on Ask for Angela and drug spiking awareness, which have helped us significantly reduce incidents in recent years.
Recruitment is always a big one – finding high-calibre door supervisors is tough, especially younger staff. Pay rates in the industry can be comparable to bar work, which doesn’t always attract new talent. We tackle that by attending Freshers’ fairs, engaging with the military community, and running targeted recruitment campaigns.
Another challenge is that outside of student term times, demand drops. We adapt by being flexible with staffing and making sure our teams can work across different venues.
Consistency is everything. We’ve been in Leeds for over 20 years, and we’ve learned that clients remember both good and bad experiences. We make sure our people are well-trained, supported, and briefed before every shift. Our C24/7 platform ensures staff complete their briefings – if they don’t, they don’t get paid. It’s that simple.
We also invest in long-term relationships. Some of our Leeds clients have been with us for years because they know we’ll deliver, whether it’s a Saturday night or a major event.
Our scale, our leadership, and our culture. We’re large enough to handle the biggest operations in the city, but we still maintain that hands-on, personal approach. We’re on the ground, we know the venues, and we know the people. That’s why when venues in Leeds need reliable, professional door supervisors, they call us first.