BID to launch security patrols to protect your businesses during lockdown

- Press Release -

We wanted to update you all on the work that the Our Colchester Business Improvement District (BID) is undertaking during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Over the last few weeks, we have been in constant communication with Essex Police, Colchester Borough Council and many town centre businesses around concerns raised by our levy payers around the safety of their premises during lockdown. Following these discussions, the BID will be launching a security patrol in partnership with Essex Police to support the work that is currently being done to maintain the security of our BID member's premises. Our patrol will cover seven days a week between the hours of 2000hr and 0600hr. The patrols will be completed by car, alongside foot patrols in more pedestrianised areas to cover the whole BID zone, acting as a deterrent for any troublemakers that wish to go against Government advice. This is aimed to reduce criminal activity in and around our members' properties.

 

Sam Good, BID Manager for Our Colchester, said: "An essential part of the BID is to ensure that our members are listened to and in turn, ensure that we are supporting them in every way possible. It has been clear that since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, our businesses are concerned for the safety of their premises that are empty during the lockdown. As a result of this, we have partnered with Zed Security to monitor each BID premises at night over 7 days a week. It is clear that we have some great partnership agencies patrolling throughout the day time and we are continuing to support them where we can to ensure our members premises are safe and that our owners/managers can have peace of mind."

Cllr Mike Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, said: “Retailers are already facing a huge degree of economic uncertainty because of the strict measures to tackle the spread of the coronavirus – so we must work together to ensure we’re on the front foot to deter those thinking of taking advantage of the lockdown to engage in criminal activity.

“The council is fully committed to supporting and working with Our Colchester BID and the police to safeguard Town Centre businesses throughout this crisis. We need to do everything we can to ensure Colchester quickly bounces back and continues to be a safe, attractive and welcoming retail destination, once this crisis ends.”

 

The operations with the security company, Zed Security, will launch today (Monday 6th April) at 2000hrs and will be reviewed on a weekly basis to ensure it is as efficient as possible. As part of the agreement, we will be sending Zed Security's contact details for the patrols to all of our BID members and relevant agencies so they can be contacted should there be any concerns or alerts of alarms going off. In turn, the patrol team will also have the contact details for all of our BID members to ensure they can contact the key holders or the designated person of contact per business.

The security staff patrolling will operate on call signs ZED1 and ZED2. For those that will be operating at the same time as our patrols, please use the Townlink radio's to contact them.

 

Jon Evans, Essex Police said "This is a really positive preventative step from the Colchester Bid team to further reassure its members in conjunction with the Essex Police patrols of the town centre."

Gordon Evans, Zed Security and Guarding said: "Zed Security and Guarding are extremely pleased to be working alongside Our Colchester, BID and Essex Police by providing Partnership Patrols of the members premises during the current Corona Virus pandemic.We will do our utmost to protect and guard the premises of the members and thank everyone for the trust that you have placed in us."

 

We continue to work in partnership to keep the town centre safe and prevent crimes throughout this unprecedented period. Please can I ask that businesses report incidents in the normal manner, so that the partnership are able to map the problem areas and respond appropriately."

If you have any questions regarding this security patrol, please email the BID team on hello@ourcolchester.co.uk.