Ensuring the safety of hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers is no easy task. Most revellers are there to enjoy the music, have a good time and make some precious memories. But not everyone. And that is where event security teams steps in.

This trained group has a huge responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all the attendees and in the case of a major festival such as Glastonbury, that could be as many as 210,000 guests.

And if an event security guard thinks someone is going to spoil the party, they will step in.

Specialists in event security, such as our dedicated and experienced team, keep a watchful eye on the crowds entering a festival. They may check entrants with metal detectors and check bags with scanners but they are also vigilant to stop people who have hidden items such as weapons or drugs on their person.

Highly trained sniffer dogs can be man’s best friend in helping to detect these banned items and will alert the security guards to a suspect.

It is often a condition of entry to a music festival that attendees agree to be searched. If they do not consent, they could be refused entry and asked to leave the venue.

However, security guards do not have the right to strip search suspects and neither do they have the powers to check a person’s underwear for suspected hidden items as this can be considered assault.

Their powers differ to those of police officers who are legally allowed to stop and search suspects as long as there are reasonable grounds to do so. However, if an officer removes more than your jacket and gloves, they must be the same sex as you.

Police officers can also carry out strip searches where the police officer considers it necessary due to the seriousness and urgency of the situation. This includes if they reasonably believe someone has concealed an item they should not possess. However, strip searches should only be carried out at a police station or other place of detention which could be a tent at a music festival.

Taking drugs or weapons into a festival could leave a lasting legacy long after the music has faded away. Anyone selling or sharing drugs could be charged under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act and could be given a fine or even a prison sentence. And the maximum penalty for carrying a knife or weapon illegally is four years in prison. That’s a long time to think about what they have done and a lot of festivals missed.

For more information on the range of our events security services, click here.