NB This page should be read in conjunction with our 'shopfront improvements project' page.

Below are three interesting and independent perspectives on the use of solid roller shutters as a means of providing 'security' for businesses. Key findings of our research are:

• Police forces around the UK support the view that shutters create a hostile environment that is more likely to attract, rather than deter, crime
• Solid shutters are not a requirement of insurance companies except in the most exceptional circumstances
• Most burglaries occur at the rear of premises; shutters provide thieves with an opportunity to operate unseen
• Shutters reduce trade as shoppers are unable to view window displays when the shop is closed
• Councils around the UK, including Wirral, consider solid roller shutters 'unacceptable'. This poilicy is not enforced here.

Whilst we understand the needs of businesses to protect their livelihoods, this issue needs urgent consideration before more shutters turn Hoylake from an attractive seaside town into 'Fortress Hoylake'. A co-ordinated effort to improve the appearance of Market Street and Birkenhead Road will reduce the already low level of crime. A reversal of the situation we currently have with solid rolller shutters is central to this.

INSURANCE
Adrian Forber, Association of British Insurers:
“Insurance companies sometimes require policyholders to install security devices to make the premises acceptable for insurance. Companies usually propose a package of measures that needs to be implemented, which may well include electronic security and improved locks in addition to enhanced protection of shop frontages. It is very rare for an insurance company to actually insist upon the fitting of a solid roller shutter to a shop frontage. According to the Association of British Insurers, less than 4 of solid external roller shutters have been installed on the insistence of insurance companies. When a policyholder is asked to install improved security, insurance companies will always be prepared to take account of Local Authority requirements. The Association encourages the retailer, his/her insurance company, and the Planning Department to liaise closely. In the end, the Association believes that it is important to reach a mutually acceptable solution which provides the policyholder with the level of security commensurate with their risk, which does not have a detrimental affect on the local environment."

CRIME PREVENTION
Sergeant Tony Powell, Avon and Somerset Constabulary Headquarters:
“This guide to shopfront design contains information which, if followed, can effectively reduce the opportunity for crime whilst maintaining an aesthestically pleasing appearance. Many retailers are very concerned about ram-raids. However, research shows that 90 of burglaries against shops are carried out by more traditional methods involving insecured windows or rear doors. There is no need to have a ‘Fortress Mentality’ and shutters are not the only option. Stallrisers, for example, provide a high level of security whilst preserving the appearance of the shop. Effective partnerships between the police, local authorities, planners and architects can prove successful in reducing crime."

PLANNING
Wirral Council:
"If external shutters are used it is essential that they are housed internally so as not to protrude from the shopfront. They should also be coloured and of a "see through" or "perforated" style. Under no circumstances should shutters to retail premises be left in a raw, galvanised condition, or have prominent projecting shutter boxes…. Solid shutters are considered unacceptable as they create a dead frontage at night and create a negative visual impression of the area. Solid shutters are also susceptible to graffiti. This can reinforce a negative impression of an area. Perforated shutters allow light from within the retail units to disperse onto the street creating additional illumination. Perforated shutters also allow views into the unit. This creates the opportunity for passersby to window shop, thereby creating activity within the street scene, as well as providing additional surveillance into the unit itself."

To read more supporting documentation from councils and police forces around the UK, click here (large file).

Check out this recent news story: even solid shutters will not deter a determined burglar. A crime prevention document, produced by Hampshire Police, offers helpful advice for businesses.