Restaurant and bar staff have been praised alongside the actions of the emergency services for their work in protecting people during the latest London attack.
Staff at venues close to Borough Market threw chairs, glasses, crates and other missiles at the attackers to stop them from harming people enjoying their Saturday nights out. Restaurants and bars in the area also sheltered passers-by, and locked customers into their venues to protect them from the attacks.
The incident claimed the lives of seven with 36 people still being treated in hospital. Twenty one remain in a critical condition.
According to the BBC, a woman stabbed in the chest at the El Pastor restaurant on Stoney Street was treated by customers, with staff and fellow diners pushing the attacker out of the venue by throwing furniture at the assailant, before the shutters were lowered.
Following the attack in Manchester, hospitality businesses were reminded to make sure staff are trained and appropriate security measures practiced to deal with threatening situations.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has advised its members to consult guidance from bodies such as the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), or information on the ALMR website itself.
Resources available to operators include the Project Griffin website, which lists contact details for local police forces available to provide security advice and training for businesses.
Project Griffin is the national counter terrorism awareness initiative for business produced by NaCTSO. The Cross-sector Safety and Security Communications (CSSC) also provides information for businesses, and assistance in developing ’emergency preparedness’ plans.
