Christmas is coming – is your venue prepared?
Whether you’re more like Will Ferrell’s Elf of a regular Scrooge – Christmas is on its way. And you need to be prepared for the festive risks just around the corner.
This is great news for venues as it generally means there’ll be an increase in customers, takings and profit.
Make sure an insurance claim doesn’t get in the way of the festive fun by mitigating risks where you can.
Seven risks to look out for this Christmas
1. Flooding and storm damage.
We’ve gathered some top advice on reducing the impact of flooding at your venue so give it a read to make sure you’re prepared.
2. Increased stock (and cash).
You might be sitting on extra stock in preparation for an increase in customers. It’s likely you’ll be taking more cash over the festive period. It’s important to review your Sums Insured to make sure you’re still adequately covered. We recommend banking your takings more regularly over the festive period to avoid too much money being stored in an on-site safe.
3. Roofs and gutters.
Most insurance policies insist that roofs (particularly flat roofs) are checked at least once every two years by a qualified builder or property surveyor. Your guttering should also be checked every six months by a professional. This will avoid major disaster when the weather worsens.
4. Slips and trips.
Increased footfall means an increase in the likelihood of slips and trips. Make sure you keep up with checklists to monitor glass collection, toilet cleaning and spillages, so if someone does make a claim you have enough evidence to show you’re trying to mitigate risks.
Though paths and pavements might technically fall under the council’s remit, you should always try and put your customers’ safety first. Make sure the entrance to your venue is clear from leaves and debris to avoid accidents.
5. Very merry customers.
It’s easy for your customers to get caught up in the festivities and end up drinking perhaps more than they should. Your staff should we well trained and confident enough not to serve someone who’s had one or two too many. They should be supported by an adequate security team in case of trouble, too. It’s also important to train all staff to challenge underage drinking.
You should also be aware not to overcrowd your venue. An increase in customers is great, but you don’t want to risk an inspection from the Fire Service if they’re alerted that too many people are flocking to your venue. Again, making sure you have qualified door staff is key as they’ll be able to turn people away politely and effectively if your venue has reached maximum capacity.
6. Lack of security.
It’s easy to get caught up in a manic shift and forget about the little things. Have you set your burglar alarm correctly? Have you arranged adequate door security for the weeks ahead? This blog looks at the security measures you should consider putting in place.
7. Noise complaints.
An increase in party nights and patrons equals an increase in noise. If you get on the wrong side of your neighbours, they could complain to the council. And this could eventually lead to the council considering your license. Try limiting noise in rooms directly adjourning neighbouring properties if you can. Keep conversations with your neighbours open and friendly so they know they can approach you directly as a first port of call.
We have a festive risks winner…
Here at NDML we generally always see a significant increase in slips and trips claims over the festive season. This is attributed to Christmas parties attracting excessive drinking, fights and people wearing gravity-defying high heels! Following the tips above won’t completely magic away the problem, but it will help you to defend your venue if someone does make a claim.
“Low frequency high severity” events also make up a substantial number of claims if bad weather hits. Several clients were hit by the Beast from the East last year and, should a similar bout of bad weather happen again, we expect the number of claims to rise.
Festive risks case study
The customer
NDML has worked with this customer for a number of years. As they are a multi-faceted business, they need to work with a leisure insurance specialist who understands the industry. NDML treats all customers as individuals and tailors their policy accordingly. This gives the customer the peace of mind they need.
The problem
Our customer is based on a seafront location. When extreme weather hit, the building suffered severe damage. They needed to make a claim. With insurers snowed under with claims, it was always going to be challenging to settle the claim quickly and satisfactorily.
The solution
Our specialist claims team responded to the situation with urgency. We guided our customer throughout the claims process, fighting to ensure our customer got the best possible settlement. The claim was dealt with effectively and the customer was satisfied with their pay-out.
It’s not too late to make the move in time for Christmas
We’ll conduct a confidential review of your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered for all the ‘what ifs’ this winter. Contact our team for more information.
