THE number of bouncers being attacked while at work in our pubs and clubs has fallen.
Figures obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Act show the number of door staff assaulted between January and December last year was 140, down 20 per cent from the previous year when there were 174 reports.

In 2006, the figure was even higher, with 186 acts of violence against door staff.

Inspector Louise Tester, who leads the violent crime reduction and licensing team, said: 'It's down to a close working relationship with us, the door staff and venues'. 'The general close working relationship and the CCTV all contribute to a better working environment and therefore fewer assaults'.

'The main benefit of venues talking to each other is if there is an incident in one place they can ensure no other bar lets them in, which reduces the possibility of that person taking on more alcohol, becoming more aggressive and causing an incident where door staff maybe hurt in the next pub.'

James Nelson has been assaulted twice in the two-and-a-half years he has been a nightclub doorman and he thinks the figures are misleading. 'The number is still a lot but it's over a whole year and it could be a lot higher,' he said. 'That's just the recorded accounts, there's probably a lot more that actually happen, it could be in the thousands.'

He says his most recent assault came when he was punched in the face while working at Liquid & Envy in Stanhope Road, Landport, on December 22.

'One of the staff brought the gentleman out and he turned around to have a go at him,' he said. 'Someone that was with him came over to me and was having a go at me so I grabbed his arms and out of the corner of my eye all I saw was a fist coming towards me and the first man who had been brought out hit me in the eye.

'I turned to him and said, "what are you doing?" and the next thing there was a sea of orange as the other door staff piled out. The police were right there and it was clear as day.'

James thinks introducing rules to licence door staff has made the job safer. 'Having a licence means you get more professional people coming into the industry rather than someone who just wants to have a ruck,' he said.

Source: The News