Christmas party season
SIA licensed door staff for office parties, private venue hire and house parties across Edinburgh this December.
A Christmas party at a bar, hotel or office needs a controlled entrance, with the guest list checked and uninvited guests kept out. On Guard Security provides SIA licensed door staff and event security for Christmas parties in Edinburgh, including office and corporate parties, private hire of bars and function rooms, and parties at home. Most enquiries get a free written quote within 24 hours.
The entrance and the finish are the busiest points of a Christmas party. Door staff run the entrance, check tickets, wristbands or the guest list, and admit invited guests only. During the party they keep an eye on the room and step in early if there is a problem. At the finish they see guests out and keep the entrance clear.
We look at the venue first: entrances and exits, how guests arrive and leave, and where it is likely to get crowded. Larger parties get a written security plan covering staffing, positions, search policy, incident escalation and communications. Each shift has a supervisor, and you have a named On Guard contact on the night.
Every site is different. Tell us about yours and we will send a tailored quotation and plan.
Friday and Saturday nights in December are the main party nights. The last Friday before Christmas, often called Mad Friday, is usually the busiest night of all. Parties on 31st December are covered on our Hogmanay security in Edinburgh page, and parties in the west on our Christmas party security in Glasgow page.
Under the City of Edinburgh Licensing Board's festive policy, licensed premises can trade up to two hours past their normal terminal hour. The board sets the start date each year, and the period runs to 2nd January. A venue needs the festive seasonal variation in its operating plan, or an application for extended hours.
Sources: TLT, "Scottish festive policies by licensing board area", December 2024; SLTN, "Edinburgh licensing board votes to change festive trading policy", December 2023.
If your venue is trading to the later festive hours, door cover has to run to the new close. Ask the venue for its finish time before you book.
Door work at a Christmas party calls for staff who stay calm and respectful with guests. Our founder, Dean Waters, has over 15 years in the security industry, including licensed premises and large-scale events. Every shift is supervised and we keep the same door team on a client wherever possible.
"Dean and his staff are always professional, reliable and well-presented at every event. They handle situations calmly and confidently, while also staying approachable and respectful to guests and staff. Dean provides us with peace of mind knowing our events are in such capable hands. His communication is always excellent, and he goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly. I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for dependable, high-quality security services!"Lauren Napier, MT Attractions (organisers of Clydeside Christmas Village), verified 5-star Google review.
Every party differs in size, venue and finish time, so we do not publish rates. Get in touch with the venue, date, start and finish times and expected numbers by WhatsApp on +44 7348 955836 or email dean@onguardsecurity.uk. We learn about the venue and your requirements, then send a free, tailored quotation and security plan.
The price depends on how many door staff you need, the hours, the venue and the notice given, and a surcharge may apply to late finishes and holiday dates. Book as soon as you have a date. For door staff at short notice, see our last minute and emergency security guards.
Coverage
Examples of where we work. If your location is not listed, get in touch.
FAQs
If the party is at a bar, hotel or function room with an alcohol licence, anyone working the door while alcohol is served needs an SIA door supervisor licence, even if the venue employs them directly (GOV.UK). All On Guard Security officers are SIA licensed. Our guide to SIA door staff for a party covers house parties and unlicensed halls.
That depends on guest numbers, the venue layout, how many entrances there are, the finish time and any conditions on the venue's licence. We look at these before quoting and put our recommended numbers in writing.
Yes. On Guard Security provides door staff for Christmas parties at private homes in Edinburgh. We learn about the house, the guest numbers and the finish time before quoting. Door staff work from your guest list, keep uninvited guests out and stay until the finish time you set.
Yes. We cover office parties held at work as well as events at hired venues and hotels. Officers can wear branded uniform or business casual, and for parties in your own offices we can run access control and visitor sign-in.
As soon as you have a date, particularly for December Fridays and Saturdays. If you need door staff at short notice, our last minute and emergency security guards service puts most Edinburgh deployments in place within 2 to 4 hours, and WhatsApp is the quickest way to reach us.
Are you hosting a Christmas party in Edinburgh this December?
Contact us on WhatsApp or email us today to receive a written quotation and security plan for SIA licensed door staff.
Google reviews
"Dean and his staff are always professional, reliable and well-presented at every event. They handle situations calmly and confidently, while also staying approachable and respectful to guests and staff."
"No matter the location, whether it is Larbert, Troon, Aberdeen, Livingston, Bathgate, Inverness, Shetland, Stornoway or anywhere in between, the standard of service is always professional, reliable and well organised."
"Working alongside their team is always an absolute pleasure. Their staff is highly trained, incredibly reliable, and handles event operations with the utmost composure."
"After the first day Dean pointed out a potential security risk which I was not aware of. He also came to the site several times to check if everything is ok."
"Dean and his team are professional, reliable, well-presented, and understand the fairground and attractions industry extremely well."
"Absolutely fantastic service from the team at on guard needed last minute security and they were spot on 10/10"
"Dean and his team have been excellent. Flexible, professional and clearly understand the best approach to each individual situation."
"As an SIA-certified Close Protection specialist, his strategic preparation was spot on, and the subsequent execution left nothing to be desired."
"Dean is always a great asset in the team and his staff all align with our values of delivering above and beyond service."
"We use On guard for many of our events around Scotland. There a great bunch of guys & gals with great management and knowledge of licensing and policies."
Learn about us
A Scottish event and site security company with more than 65 SIA licensed personnel, led by founder Dean Waters, who has over 15 years in the security industry. We work across Edinburgh, Glasgow, the central belt and beyond, for events, commercial sites, construction and private clients.
Watch the video below to learn more about us
Contact us
Tell us your location or locations, dates and what you need covered. We will learn about your requirements and send a written quotation and security plan, usually within 24 hours.
Or call +44 7348 955836 · dean@onguardsecurity.uk