HIGH-TECH identity scanners have been brought in across Ealing town centre to help door staff keep out known troublemakers.

The machines have already been installed in 10 pubs and clubs in Ealing Broadway and are set to be introduced to two more.

They were joined by the latest digital radios this week, allowing doormen and bosses to alert staff in other watering holes and share information about developing situations more quickly. As well as quickly spotting underage drinkers, the scanners spot forgeries, flag up troublemakers from across the country and help police track down revellers after they commit crimes.
It is the first time in the capital that so many have been introduced to one area at once.

The new technology has been made possible by Ealing Broadway Business Improvement District and Ealing Council. The town hall covered the £140,000 cost, which included Ealing Door Safe branded jackets, through its £250,000 Riot Recovery Fund.

Ealing BID operations manager Andy Pay, said: “The scanners will stop people banned from pubs and clubs from trying to go out in Ealing and they will change people’s behaviour. At the end of the day, there’s less chance of people causing an incident if they know the venue has their ID, which backed up by CCTV could quickly get them arrested.”

Revellers’ information can be kept by the pubs and clubs for three years.

Mr Pay said it is in line with the Information Commissioner’s rules and people whose personal details have been captured will be asked for permission before any marketing is sent to them.      

Peter Hobbs, licensee of The Grove pub, said creating a safe environment is the secret to his business’s success since being set up three years ago, and the same will be true for Ealing Broadway as a whole.

He added: “It’s a great piece of kit. Together with the radios and jackets it helps create more of a community, sending the message that misbehaviour won’t be tolerated. It’s definitely going to bring more people to the area. And the scanners are a great marketing tool for us, giving us data on our busiest times, how far people travel to us, whether they’re male or female and their age brackets.”

Reflecting on last August’s riots, council leader Julian Bell said: “We knew the shock of that night’s events would be felt across the community but we wanted to make sure we did whatever we could to encourage people back into the area. We’re continuing to work closely with the BID and police colleagues to explore sustainable ways to keep the town centre safe.”