Professional Security

What Professional Security does

Professional Security (legally Effective Security Services Ltd) is a Leeds-headquartered UK private security services provider operating across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The company supplies SIA-licensed personnel for manned guarding, door supervision, close protection, and event security at hospitality venues, retail estates, transport hubs, local government facilities, and large-scale sporting and entertainment events. As of the most recent disclosures, the firm deploys roughly 7,000 licensed officers across more than 2,000 customer sites, with named enterprise clients including McDonald's, Popeyes, Hollywood Bowl, Rekom, Roxy Leisure, Cosy Club, Tattu, and Concept Taverns. The portfolio spans bars, pubs, breweries, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, QSR chains, competitive socialising venues, casinos, retail chains, business improvement districts, councils, rail operators, festivals, concerts, and stadia.

The operating model is direct-to-client, sales-led, and quote-based, with bespoke resourcing sized to site complexity and licensed-venue requirements. Professional Security complements frontline staffing with a technology stack that includes the C247 workforce-management platform for real-time visibility across shifts and sites, the Halo incident-management system for rapid reporting and response, and Axon body-worn cameras for evidence capture and officer safety. The firm also sells entry-point services such as a free 30-minute Security Readiness Check and SIA-renewal training (Level 2 Door Supervisor Refresher; Level 2 Spectator Safety RQF qualification), which double as lead-generation and workforce-pipeline tools. It holds SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status across security guarding, door supervision, and close protection, and recorded an audit score of +140, placing it in the top 1% of UK providers. Revenue and ownership are not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held with no identified parent or external venture backing, and approximately 95% of its workforce is engaged on a casual/zero-hours basis.

Name

Professional Security

Legal name

Effective Security Services Ltd

Website

https://professionalsecurityuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Professional Security is a Leeds-headquartered UK manned-security provider deploying 7,000 SIA-licensed officers across 2,000+ hospitality, retail, QSR, transport, event, and local-government sites nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manned Security Services

NAICS

Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612), Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Nightclub, Bar & Entertainment Venue Security (BPAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Manned Guarding & Site Security (Static Guards) (BPABAMAA), Theater, Cinema & Performing Arts Venue Security (BPAKACAG), Executive Protection & VIP Close Protection (THAHALAE)

Keywords

• Security guarding services
• Door supervision services
• Event security services
• Close protection services
• Hospitality security services

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Security Guarding Services: Provision of SIA-licensed security personnel for guarding operations across various sectors including hospitality, retail, and commercial sites
2. Door Supervision: Door supervisor services for licensed venues including bars, nightclubs, QSR, and hospitality establishments
3. Event Security: Security coverage for festivals, concerts, stadia, sporting venues, and transport operations
4. Close Protection: Executive protection and close protection services for high-profile individuals and corporate clients

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Professional Security delivers manned SIA-licensed security guarding, door supervision, event security, and close protection services to hospitality venues, retail chains, local government facilities, QSR operators, transport hubs, and event organisers across the UK. With 7,000 licensed officers deployed at over 2,000 sites, the company provides tailored, quote-priced security staffing solutions supplemented by training qualifications and an advisory Security Readiness Check.

Product overview

Professional Security provides a unified portfolio of manned guarding and electronic security services across the UK, covering hospitality venues (bars, pubs, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, competitive socialising), retail, transport, local government, QSR, and events. The core offerings comprise Security Guarding, Door Supervision, Close Protection, and Event Security, complemented by training qualifications (Door Supervisor Refresher and Spectator Safety) and an advisory Security Readiness Check service. Services are delivered by 7,000 SIA-licensed staff across over 2,000 sites nationwide, integrating C247 workforce management, Halo incident management, and Axon body-worn cameras for operational transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Security Guarding Nationwide manned guarding services for offices, retail, construction, warehouses, industrial sites, and multi-site networks across the UK, delivered by SIA-licensed officers.
• Door Supervision Door supervisor services for licensed venues including bars, nightclubs, and quick-service restaurants, focused on entry control, crowd management, age verification, and licensing compliance.
• Event Security Security services for festivals, concerts, stadia, sporting venues, and large public events, providing crowd management and emergency response capability.
• Close Protection Close protection services for high-risk or high-profile individuals and corporate clients requiring executive protection and personal security.
• Retail Security Security services for retail environments and business improvement districts, including loss prevention, asset protection, and access control.
• Transport Security Security services for transport hubs, rail deployments, and event-travel operations including passenger safety and crowd management during major travel events.
• Local Government Security Security services for local government facilities and public-facing council operations, addressing public safety, regulatory compliance, and counter-terrorism readiness.
• QSR Security Specialist security services tailored for quick-service restaurant chains and franchises across the UK, including entry control and customer/staff safety.
• Level 2 Door Supervisor Refresher Course (SIA Renewal Training) SIA renewal training course for door supervisors, enabling licence renewal for security personnel working in licensed venues.
• Level 2 Spectator Safety Qualification (RQF) Qualification for security personnel working at events and sporting venues, supporting SIA-aligned spectator safety competency.
• Security Readiness Check A free 30-minute expert-led review of a venue's security setup, identifying risks and gaps before busy periods.

Quantifiable outcome

• SIA ACS score of +140 places company in top 1% of UK security providers

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered major.

• Lawn Tennis Association (LTA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Professional Security provides security teams to support the LTA throughout the grass court tennis season, including major sporting events.
• London North Eastern Railway (LNER)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership for major rail deployment supporting safe transport of fans during major sporting events at Wembley.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sodexo UK: UK arm of global Sodexo Group, delivering facilities management, food services, and security solutions including manned guarding and reception/concierge security. Overlaps with Professional Security in corporate and venue security contracts.
• ISS A/S (UK): Global facility services provider operating in the UK with security services including manned guarding and security systems. Broader portfolio than Professional Security but directly competes for integrated facility security contracts.
• Allied Universal: Global security services giant with significant UK presence across manned guarding, event security, and security technology. Operates as a broad incumbent selling an integrated security offering alongside Professional Security's specialist UK hospitality focus.

Direct peers

• Mitie Security: One of the UK's largest facilities management and security services providers with a sizeable manned guarding, door supervision, and event security offering. Directly competes with Professional Security for multi-site enterprise contracts.
• FGH Security: UK-headquartered security services firm with a strong focus on event and venue security, similar door supervision and stadia/festival work. Direct competitor to Professional Security across UK hospitality and event guarding contracts.
• Kingdom Services Group: Large UK-based security and cleaning services provider with an established presence in door supervision, retail security, and event guarding. Comparable in scale and customer mix to Professional Security.
• Wilson James: UK-based specialist security and logistics firm with strong presence in construction, corporate, and aviation guarding. Comparable in scale and contract-led UK delivery model to Professional Security.
• CIS Security: UK-headquartered security services provider specialising in front-of-house, concierge, and manned guarding for corporate, residential, and hospitality clients. Comparable mid-tier UK security firm competing with Professional Security for premium contracts.
• Securitas UK: UK arm of the global Securitas Group, providing manned guarding, mobile patrol, and security solutions across commercial, retail, and event environments. Direct competitor for enterprise and multi-site security contracts in the UK.
• Bidvest Noonan: UK and Ireland security and facilities services firm, formed from the merger of Bidvest and Noonan, providing manned guarding, door supervision, and event security. Directly competes with Professional Security across retail, hospitality, and corporate contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProfSec
• Facebookfacebook.com/UKProfSec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Professional Security