By the end of April 2005, all door supervisors in England and Wales will have to carry a license, which they will only obtain after completing a four-day, nationally accredited course.

The boom in the licensed hospitality sector has meant that there are now more door supervisors than ever – the current figure is estimated at 95,000.

So far, it has been impossible to determine how many have actually received any training, due to the lack of standardised license or training schemes.

Now, all doormen will have to apply for the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Licence to Practice.

Adrian Stephenson, from the Door Supervisor Training Organisation (DSTO), said: “The government has recognised that the private security industry has been horribly under-regulated. The new licensing system is definitely the way forward and will help to raise standards in the industry.”

In order for doormen to gain the Licence to Practice, doormen will have to complete a National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS) course and undergo a criminal background check.

The NCDS course will be run over four days and comprises 28 hours of training and two hours of examinations.

Stephenson said: “The first two days are pretty much dedicated to the door supervisor’s understanding of drug law and awareness, fire safety and how they should behave at venues.”

“The course will also include a conflict management side, where supervisors are taught how to handle awkward conflict situations in the most practical manner,” he said.

Anyone who is involved in the work of a door supervisor will require a license. Details: www.dsto.co.uk the www.the-sia.org.uk Picture shows Hale and Pace in their 'Two Rons' old-style bouncer characters at the SIA campaign promotional launch