The Team London Bridge area has over 350 business, well over 40,000 local employees, an estimated 20 million leisure visitors and 50 million people passing through London Bridge station every year. This growing population and built environment requires strategic management and cooperation from all sectors of the community to ensure a safe and secure environment for us all to enjoy.
It is therefore no surprise that when consulted, businesses name safety and security management is the most important service provided by Team London Bridge.
Partnership working is key to achieving this and we work to improve links between businesses, the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police, Southwark Safe and Southwark Council to reduce crime in the area - helping to keep workers, visitors and residents safe, day and night.
With our help, London Bridge has remained one of the safest areas in the capital and we will continue to ensure that's the case through the delivery of operational services as well as lobbying at a strategic, political level.
Dedicated Police Officer
Through an agreement with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), we fund an additional police officer - PC Nick Morant - who is dedicated to policing the Team London Bridge area and tasked by us to address local crime types.
His role is to actively engage with the business community: meeting with security teams and facilities managers; delivering crime prevention training to retail staff; organising operations against illegal gamblers & bag/mobile phone thieves; advising businesses on protecting their premises against burglary; and performing high visibility patrols.
The Southwark Community Security Zone (CSZ)
The Southwark Community Security Zone (CSZ) covers the area of northern Southwark between Tower Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge and is recognised by the police as having significant political, cultural, economic and iconic status. The aim of the CSZ is to provide a safe, secure and more resilient place in which to work, live and visit by developing and promoting the concept of community security. These objectives are delivered though the Security and Resilience Forum.
The membership of the Forum includes appropriate representatives from the largest (and from a security perspective most significant) organizations in the area, the police, London Fire Brigade, Southwark Safe and Southwark Emergency Planning.
Mass Notification System
We fund and operate a mass notification platform that enables us to instantly notify our businesses via email (and SMS in urgent situations) of anything related to crime, security and resilience. We act as the communication channel between the emergency services and the business community, passing on information such as: local crime trends, planned demonstrations/disruptive events, monthly reports from our funded police officer, invites to ACT Awareness and Project Argus sessions, cyber threats and live updates during major incidents.
To sign up to receive these please email henry@teamlondonbridge.co.uk
Southwark Safe BRCP Radio Network
Through the Southwark Safe Business Crime Reduction Partnership we fund 20 hand-held radios for our businesses, allowing them to communicate instantly with each
other as well as the police and Southwark Council’s CCTV control room on security matters.
To date
the radios have been used to successfully combat anti-social behaviour, hostile
reconnaissance and shoplifting. 31 organisations across the BID area are using
them at present and if you would be interest in obtaining one (the cost is £520 per year) please contact Anas Wihaib at Southwark Safe Anas.Wihaib@saferlondon.co.uk
Pubwatch SE1
Pubwatch SE1 is a network of pubs and bars in the SE1 area that meets up on a quarterly basis to discuss issues of concern to the licensed trade. The police attend these meetings and guest speakers are often invited.
The network is (and always will be) chaired by a local pub or bar. Currently this is Seamus Russell from the Mudlark. The meetings are coordinated (and financed as necessary) by Better Bankside and Team London Bridge.
If you or a colleague would like to attend this or future meetings please email henry@teamlondonbridge.co.uk
Other representation
Our Business & Operations Manager Henry Johnstone represents the business community on the following boards and advisory groups:
Southwark Safe BCRP Steering Group - Chair
Riverside Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel - Vice Chair
Southwark Police Confidence & Satisfaction Board - member
Southwark Emergency Planning Forum - member