Morecambe firm shuts door and event security services after 15 years

Thursday, 2 June 2022 18:12

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Brendan Hughes from ICU Security Services

A Morecambe company has closed its door and events security operations after 15 years of working at pubs, clubs and festivals in the area.

ICU Security Services has shut down its staffed security operations, said its director Brendan Hughes.

Mr Hughes, who is from Morecambe, said it was "the right time to get out".

He said the company had made 20-30 staff redundant but said "I'm happy to say that the majority of them have found other work, which was the main worry I had, to make sure those guys could continue to put food on the table."

Mr Hughes said that the security alarm and camera installation and repair side of the business would be continuing.

LISTEN to Brendan Hughes talking about the reasons for his decision:

Mr Hughes set up ICU Security Services in 2007 from an office on Pedder Street in the town centre.

Over the years its security staff were a visible presence on the doors of pubs and clubs in the area, and at events including Morecambe Carnival and Light Up Lancaster.

Speaking exclusively to Beyond Radio, Mr Hughes said: "Anything that involves employing staff, we've closed, so that includes our door operations and events.

"After 15 years, personally, my life was starting to take a different track, and I decided I'd had enough of running doors and running events. It felt like the right time to get out.

"After Covid I thought we're either going to go back big or I'm going to start to wind down, and I decided to make the decision to start to close.

"Covid had a major impact on us. We did a lot of door work so when the pubs and clubs shut we had to put all our staff on furlough. There was very little income. We started to recover after Covid but as time went on, things went back to normal and I decided that now's the time to get out of the game.

"The minimum wage increase didn't have much effect, it's the costs associated with it that had a huge effect on us.

"Finding decent door supervisors in such a small area is very very difficult. We had plenty of opportunity to expand, we just really struggled to find adequate levels of staff, and we just couldn't find a way through that. We were at an impasse really. We were getting offers of work weekly, we just couldn't over commit ourselves.

"We employed around 200 people over the years.

"We made about 20-30 people redundant in the end. I'm happy to say that the majority of them have found other work, which was the main worry I had, to make sure those guys could continue to put food on the table.

"I have so many people to thank. The main people are my staff. They all absolutely put everything into the company. A lot of our clients were with us for 10 years plus which is fantastic, I'd like to thank them for the support.

"I get a little bit emotional. It's like leaving a child. I look back with great happiness."

Brendan said being part of the Morecambe Carnival operational team was a "personal highlight".

"Having said that, we've done all sort of events, Nice n Sleazy (punk festival), (Christmas) lights switchons, fireworks events, Light Up Lancaster, we've had a hand in them all," he said.

"We gave over £10,000 over the years in sponsorship in local events and for a small outfit like us, that was a big achievement."

Mr Hughes said the office on Pedder Street would be closing within the next eight weeks.

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