Case study: Tutankhamun
Dawn of a golden age at the O2
The O2 is Europe’s newest entertainment destination with a 20,000 seat arena, 12 screen multiplex cinema, 12 restaurants, several bars and retail outlets, two storey exhibition space, indigo2 live entertainment club, two nightclubs and ice skating rink. The O2 is a destination that has changed the face of entertainment in the UK. The jewel in the crown of this exciting venue is a new and unusual exhibition space known as The O2 bubble. Redefining the exhibition landscape, this venue is the cultural hub of The O2, housing a unique mix of display and themed exhibitions. It therefore seems appropriate that the exhibition that Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) chose to launch at this unique venue is one of the most popular in modern times. After more than 35 years, the treasures of Tutankhamun have returned to London in a dazzling, once-in-a-lifetime exhibition. For more than 3,000 years King Tut’s treasures lay unseen beneath the Egyptian sands. When they toured the world in 1977, audiences were awestruck – and the boy king became a worldwide sensation.
The security challenge
Sally Davies, AEG’s Venue Manager, explains The O2 bubble’s unique position, “The accessibility of the venue and its position in the wider O2 complex makes it attractive to the public who would often not consider visiting a ‘museum’ in the traditional sense. However, because The O2 bubble was not built as a traditional museum, it did not originally have the established security infrastructure normally found in a museum or gallery.”Solution
In order to maintain the unique features that make The O2 bubble such a popular destination for visitors whilst delivering robust security, AEG made security a top priority at the venue. When looking for a security partner, G4S’s experience of developing best practice security procedures across a range of events made AEG confident they could deliver in this unique venue.Assessing the risks and establishing procedures
At the start of the project, AEG employed independent risk assessors who were brought in to evaluate the integrity of the site in relation to the value of the collection. Using this information, high tech surveillance and security systems were installed by AEG. G4S, working alongside AEG, then developed the security strategy for the exhibition building.Daily procedures were consequently established by G4S and AEG to ensure that security levels were appropriate for the building and nature of the exhibition. A key part of developing an established security infrastructure at The O2 bubble was creating a dedicated control room for the building. This provided the venue with a secure base from where operations can be co-ordinated and activity can be tracked by CCTV and other monitoring equipment. Additionally, security staff are in close contact across the venue with a direct link to a Police team based onsite allowing for a quick response in the event of an incident.
Specialist training
G4S officers at The O2 bubble have dedicated experience of event security and have undergone a bespoke training programme designed around the specific needs of the exhibition. Security Industry Authority licences are held by all officers as standard and the team includes officers specially trained in CCTV monitoring, x-ray scanning and a number with door supervisor licences.Each morning, staff receive a daily briefing with the whole G4S team, including management, which highlights any particular problems expected that day and reviews each individual’s performance and presentation.
Management expertise
The G4S senior management team works closely with AEG’s venue management staff to ensure security is constantly monitored throughout the building. The team is comprised of highly experienced officers, with extensive experience on specialist security contracts. G4S’s tried and tested management structure offers the following attributes to ensure that security procedures are followed strictly and alerts can be reacted to quickly:- Each member of staff has a clearly defined role and there is a clear reporting structure
- Serious problems are communicated up to top management level to be dealt with immediately
- Smaller, day to day problems are filtered and resolved by supervisors to allow managers to respond efficiently to more serious issues
- Procedures are routinely checked by different members of the team to ensure accuracy and consistency.
Gurkha Services
AEG also benefits from G4S’s newly launched Gurkha Services. This service uses specialist security officers with extensive experience of securing sensitive sites and least 12 years’ experience of dealing with crisis situations. Unobtrusive and totally focused, these officers constantly monitor the exhibits, watching for suspicious behaviour. Results
The O2 bubble will have successfully received up to 2 million visitors for the duration of the Tutankhamun Golden Age of the Pharoah’s exhibition. The venue’s security procedures have ensured that full protection of the exhibition has been maintained since the artefacts arrived at The O2 bubble. Constant training has seen practice evacuations carried out smoothly with the ability to seamlessly clear the building at full capacity within only five minutes. Sally Davies, AEG Venue Manager, concludes, “G4S has set up a number of best practice procedures which have ensured we can offer security at The O2 bubble that matches any national museum. This is a great result for us and has given us the ability to consider other opportunities at this growing venue.”
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