Firms join forces to keep premises secure

Seventeen firms from around Durban Road and the Heath Place/Ash Grove Industrial Estate recently agreed to organise a collective security presence for the festive season.

Security guards are patrolling their premises to ensure criminals do not try to take advantage of the holiday period.

Bognor Motors' Oliver Hicklin proposed the measure at the South Bersted Business Park Association.

He said: 'This is a great scheme that shows that, by working together, businesses can significantly reduce their costs and give themselves peace of mind over the festive period.'

This year's security patrolling follows a successful pilot last year.

Chris Shepherd, the business parks co-ordinator for Arun District Council, said the move showed a unity and partnership between the firms.

'Like all businesses, they want to feel their premises are safe at a time of year when they could be vulnerable,' he stated.

'They have been well prepared and can see the value in paying a small amount of money for a collective service rather than paying a large amount to cover only themselves.'

Local company K9 Security, which also looks after the nearby Riverside Caravan Centre, has been taken on to provide the guards for the industrial estate.