Draft27-12

Guarding
commitment to head office staff:
Churchill acquires
Churchill Services Group reports
the acquisition of AOS Security
Ltd, to continue, the Hertfordshirebased
contractor says, a strategy of
establishing a stronger profile in the
security industry. AOS offers manned,
mobile, covert and technical security
services in the rail, construction,
corporate, retail and healthcare
sectors, with a focus in the south
east. AOS’ clients include Transport
for London, Chiltern Railways,
RNIB and ZSL London Zoo. Joel
Briggs, Group Managing Director
at Churchill, says: “A seamless
transition for all clients and staff is
the number one priority as we look
forward to a prosperous and exciting
future.” Darren Read, Managing
Director at AOS, will take a MD role
of Churchill. p
Shopping centre contracts
A three-year contract with Victoria
Place Shopping Centre, pictured, in
London’s mainline Victoria Station
has gone to ABM UK. The new
contract, won as part of a competitive
tender, is worth about £2m, and
will see the contractor supplying
the Savills-managed shopping
centre with cleaning and security.
Adam Baker, ABM UK’s business
development and marketing director,
said: “Our vast experience within the
retail sector and our understanding
of Savills (UK) Limited makes us
well-placed to support and develop
the team.”
l ABM has opened a dedicated office
in Belfast, and appointed a country
manager. The FM firm was awarded
a three-year, £1.1m contract with
Bloomfield Shopping Centre and
Retail Park in Bangor. Jamie Bill,
Bloomfield manager, said: “We place
a profound emphasis on creating
a flawless and positive shopping
experience for our customers, and
we believe that ABM’s cleaning
and security staff will help us to
continually implement this.” p
Living Wage option
Securitas UK reports accreditation
as the 100th Recognised Service
Provider, working with the Living
Wage Foundation, to offer a real
Living Wage option alongside tenders
to prospective and current clients.
This means the client can choose to
set the Living Wage at the point of
tender and there is a pathway towards
the ‘real Living Wage’. Securitas UK
has also committed to pay all its head
office staff the Living Wage under an
Chiswick extension
Blackstone, an investment firm, has
awarded Ultimate Security Services
a three-year contract extension at
Chiswick Park, worth over £1m a
year. The guarding firm will continue
to provide security and front of
house services for the mixed-use
business park, off Chiswick High
Road in London W4. Ultimate
and Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work
(CPEW), the property company that
manages Chiswick Park, have been
working since 2014. Matt Coulson,
operations director, CPEW, said:
“Ultimate Security have shown
real commitment in the previous 12
months and we were happy to extend
this contract with the strong strategy
that was outlined as part of their
pitch, and that is now in place.” p
employer agreement. Securitas UK
is one of some 3500 employers that
support and promote the real Living
Wage. The London Living Wage is set
at £10.20 an hour; outside of London
it’s £8.75 an hour, compared with
the Government’s National Living
Wage since April of £7.50 an hour.
Grainne Kelly, Human Resources and
Securitas Operations Centre Director
said: “We believe that every member
of staff should earn a wage that meets
the cost of living, and we are working
hard to make this a reality.” p
Glasgow add
In George Square in Glasgow city
centre, SecuriGroup has taken on
guarding and reception services at the
G1 building for property managers
CBRE. The ACS Pacesetters firm says
this joins other city centre contracts
such as its neighbour 9 George
Square, St Vincent Plaza, The Eagle
Building. Allan Burnett, SecuriGroup
Operations Director, who featured
last issue as a speaker at the Security
Institute annual conference, said:
“Contracts such as the G1 further
establishes our credentials as one
of the UK’s leading provider of
corporate security services. We look
forward in continuing to develop our
relationship with CBRE.” p
WJ’s new region
Contractor Wilson James has merged
its City of London and Southern
business regions. That new southern
region will be led by Barry Dawson,
who joins from VSG. Reporting to
him are Allison Fraser, Mark Jones
and Shai Zach who become strategic
account directors. p
Pictured from left to
right: Tracey Hutson,
Head of Communications,
Securitas UK; Craig Robb,
Chief Commercial Officer,
Securitas UK; Caroline
Reilly, Senior Programme
Manager, Living Wage
Foundation; Kenneth
Larsen, Managing
Director, London and East
Anglia; and Sarah Hayes,
Head of HR, Securitas UK
Photo courtest of Securitas
UK
About the Wage
The National Minimum
Wage began under Labour
in 2005, first set at £5.05,
and rose to £6.70 in 2015.
Several other security
contract firms are
accredited to the Living
Wage Foundation, as are
IKEA and Google. Visit
www.livingwage.org.uk.
UNHAPPY
‘Being the patience-poor
and fickle creatures that
we are, unfortunately if
a security measure
compromises the end
user experience it will
almost certainly never
be fully embraced by
the mainstream.’
Richard Parris, CEO,
Intercede.
www.professionalsecurity.co.uk DECEMBER 2017 PROFESSIONAL SECURITY 21
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