FOUR employers and managers of door staff were found working illegally during a crackdown in Lowestoft and Oulton Broad.

During the operation last Friday evening (November 26), led by police and supported by investigators from the Security Industry Authority (SIA), 22 staff were checked, either while on duty or through records in logbooks. Of these, 18 held valid SIA licences.

However, four people were found to be working illegally as they did not hold the necessary licence. These included two employers of door supervisors and a bar manager, at three separate venues in Lowestoft, and a bar manager in Oulton Broad.

Following the inspections, police spoke to staff at a venue in Lowestoft where one of the unlicensed managers was detected and they agreed to close the venue temporarily until the issue was resolved. Further inquiries are being carried out.

The purpose of the operation was to ensure that door staff and those managing and overseeing them were working legally.

The SIA head of investigation, Nigel Davies, said: 'Most of the venues checked employed SIA-licensed door staff. However, four employers and managers of these in-house operatives were operating illegally, which means they now risk prosecution. We remind those employing or managing door supervisors that they must hold at least a non-front line SIA licence.'

Sgt Steve Wright, of Lowestoft police, said: 'Public safety is always our key priority at these checks.'