Security fears impact attendance at events

Homeland November 23, 2017

New research from ATG Access has revealed that four in ten people fear for their safety at public events like music concerts and Christmas markets, in the wake of recent terror attacks.

The reports found that the concern amongst some people is so great that it is preventing them from attending public events all together.

29% of the public said they won’t go to large events taking place in the UK, due to concerns around the levels of security in place.

Two fifths (41%) of people also said they now won’t attend events if they think they will be over crowded, through fear that it would be harder to leave if an incident was to happen.

Residents in London and the West Midlands are most worried about event safety, with 46% of people in each region expressing this concern.

This is also echoed in the North West (42%) – where attacks have recently taken place – and in Northern Ireland (41%) and Scotland (37%).

Concerns around overcrowding are at the highest in the East Midlands (57%), followed by London (46%), the South East (46%), Wales (44%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (40%).

The study was conducted as part of ATG Access’ ‘Protecting the future of multifunctional cities’ report, which looks at how cities in the UK are being transformed into bustling multi-functional spaces, and the obstacles that are preventing public events from taking place.

Gavin Hepburn, Sales & Marketing Director at ATG Access, said: “Unfortunately, the worries around security come as little surprise given the increased number of terrorist attacks we have seen on our streets over recent years, with busy areas and tourist attractions often becoming the targets. Reservations around overcrowding are also connected to this, due to the increased difficulties of monitoring hundreds if not thousands of people in one busy area at the same time.

“Robust security measures should be put in place at all major events to mitigate against potential attacks and create a greater sense of safety for visitors. This could be through deploying more security personnel on the ground or installing physical security solutions, such as bollards or barriers.

“Ultimately, if people don’t feel safe at events, they may choose not to attend – and this would prevent cities and towns from developing into truly multifunctional spaces that can be used by all.”

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