Alfresco Disco at The Vench: Event Security for a Unique Bristol Venue

On Saturday 4 July 2026, Airsec Group was proud to provide professional event security and stewarding for Alfresco Disco’s PLAY event at The Vench, Lockleaze Adventure Playground in Bristol.

The event transformed an active adventure-playground site into a temporary open-air music venue, with multiple stages positioned around the basketball courts, pump track, slides and treehouses. Running from 1pm until 10pm, PLAY welcomed an adult audience for an energetic day of music, dancing and entertainment.

It was a distinctive event in a distinctive setting , and it required a security operation that was visible, capable and carefully integrated into the atmosphere.

A unique venue needs a bespoke plan…

The Vench is a much-loved adventure playground and community centre in Lockleaze, Bristol. The site provides a safe, creative space for children, young people and families throughout the year.

For PLAY, the environment changed completely.

Temporary stages, entertainment areas, access routes and operational spaces were introduced across a varied outdoor site. Guests were required to move between different parts of the venue, while certain areas needed to remain restricted to performers, contractors, event staff and production teams.

That created several practical considerations for the event organisers and security team, including:

• Managing entry into a temporary event environment
• Checking accreditation and access permissions
• Supporting clear pedestrian movement around the site
• Monitoring multiple stages and audience areas
• Protecting restricted and operational spaces
• Responding to welfare concerns
• Maintaining effective communication across the venue
• Supporting a safe and orderly dispersal at the end of the event

A conventional, one-location security approach would not have been suitable. The operation needed to reflect the layout, atmosphere and purpose of the event.

Professional security without disrupting the experience

Event security should help people enjoy themselves safely. It should not make guests feel uncomfortable or create an unnecessarily intimidating environment.

Our team worked throughout the venue as a friendly, professional and reassuring presence. Personnel were available to assist guests, answer questions, monitor activity and identify concerns early, while remaining unobtrusive wherever possible.

This approach is central to the way Airsec works.

Our SIA-licensed security professionals and event stewards are trained to combine awareness with approachability. They understand that they are not only protecting a venue , they are also representing the event organiser and contributing to the overall customer experience.

At PLAY, this meant maintaining a calm and welcoming presence while remaining ready to respond if a safety, welfare or security issue developed.

Supporting entry and accreditation

The guest experience began at the entrance.

Entry procedures and accreditation checks helped ensure that the right people could access the event and that operational areas remained protected. Our team supported the process by checking access permissions, assisting with movement through the entry area and helping to resolve questions in a professional manner.

Good entry security is about more than simply checking tickets or credentials. It also helps establish the tone of the event.

Guests should know where to go, what is expected of them and who they can approach for help. Friendly, clearly briefed personnel can reduce confusion, prevent congestion and create a positive first impression from the moment people arrive.

Our event security teams can support a range of entrance requirements, including:

• Ticket and accreditation checks
• Entry and search lanes
• Queue management
• Access control for contractors and staff
• Restricted-area permissions
• Customer assistance and directions
• Identification of welfare concerns at entry

Planning the arrival experience properly helps the rest of the event run more smoothly.

Managing crowds across multiple areas

PLAY was not a conventional single-stage event. The venue’s different features created a network of spaces, routes and gathering points.

Guests could move between stages and entertainment areas, creating changing patterns of pedestrian movement throughout the day. Some areas became busier during particular performances, while routes between them needed to remain clear and usable.

Our personnel monitored the event as a connected environment rather than treating each area in isolation.

This included observing:

• Movement between stages
• Density around audience areas
• Access routes and walkways
• Queues and potential bottlenecks
• The interaction between guests and operational areas
• Changes in crowd behaviour as the event progressed
• Conditions during the end-of-event departure

Active crowd management is essential at outdoor events because conditions can change quickly. A route that is clear at one moment may become busy shortly afterwards. A popular stage can draw a sudden concentration of people, while a change in music or weather can alter movement patterns across the site.

By maintaining a visible presence and communicating effectively, our team helped the event remain comfortable, controlled and enjoyable.

Monitoring stages and restricted areas

The multiple-stage format also created a need for continuous monitoring around performance and production spaces.

Our security personnel helped protect stages, equipment, performers and operational areas from unauthorised access. This was carried out with a proportionate approach that allowed guests to enjoy the event without unnecessary disruption.

Restricted-area security is particularly important at temporary outdoor events. Production equipment, cables, staff facilities, performer areas and emergency access routes may all be located close to public spaces.

Clear boundaries and professional monitoring help ensure that:

• Performers and production teams can work safely
• Equipment remains protected
• Emergency routes stay available
• Members of the public do not enter unsuitable areas
• Contractors and authorised personnel can move efficiently
• Security issues are identified before they become larger problems

Our event security teams are comfortable working alongside organisers, production crews, venue representatives, medical providers and other contractors. Clear communication between these groups is vital to a successful operation.

Welfare comes first

A safe event is not only one where access is controlled and restricted areas are protected. It is also one where guests can receive help when they need it.

Welfare monitoring formed an important part of the Airsec operation at PLAY. Our personnel remained alert to signs that someone might be unwell, distressed, vulnerable or in need of assistance.

Our welfare-first approach means that security staff are trained to communicate calmly, listen carefully and escalate concerns appropriately. They can support event management and medical teams where necessary, while ensuring that guests are treated with dignity and respect.

This is particularly important at music events, where factors such as heat, fatigue, alcohol, recreational drugs, crowd density and extended periods of activity can affect people in different ways.

Professional event security should be prepared for the full range of circumstances, including:

• Medical and welfare concerns
• Lost or vulnerable guests
• Conflict management
• Suspected spiking or drug-related concerns
• Intoxication
• Unauthorised access
• Trips, falls or other accidents
• Communication with emergency and medical teams

The objective is always to prevent situations from escalating and to help people access the right support quickly.

Communication keeps the operation moving

With several operational areas across the site, communication was central to the security plan.

Security personnel needed to share relevant information clearly and promptly with event management, supervisors and other teams. This supported coordinated decision-making and allowed the operation to adapt as the event developed.

Effective communication helps security teams:

• Report changing crowd conditions
• Request assistance where needed
• Share welfare information
• Protect emergency routes
• Coordinate responses
• Support safe movement around the venue
• Manage the transition towards closing time and dispersal

Our supervisors and event managers provide the link between the security team and the wider event operation. They help ensure that staffing remains effective, responsibilities are understood and emerging issues are addressed early.

Why on-site security matters

CCTV and remote monitoring can support a security plan, but they cannot replace professional personnel on the ground at a live event.

A camera may identify activity, but an on-site security professional can speak to a guest, redirect a crowd, assist someone who is unwell, protect an access point and take immediate practical action.

For events such as PLAY, where people are moving through a complex temporary venue, manned event security provides the strongest level of active protection. It combines observation with communication, welfare support and immediate response.

That human presence can make the difference between a minor concern being resolved quickly and a situation developing into a larger disruption.

A successful Bristol event

Alfresco Disco’s PLAY event ran smoothly, with guests able to enjoy the music and atmosphere before leaving the venue safely at the end of the day.

The event demonstrated the importance of careful planning, clear communication and professional, unobtrusive security when delivering an event in an unusual outdoor setting.

We were pleased to support Alfresco Disco once again and proud to contribute to another successful Bristol event. Our thanks go to the organisers, event teams, performers, contractors and Airsec personnel whose combined efforts helped make the day such a positive experience.

Event security in Bristol and across the UK

Airsec Group provides bespoke event security in Bristol and throughout the UK for music events, festivals, concerts, community events, sporting occasions and large-scale public gatherings.

Our services include:

• SIA-licensed event security
• Event safety stewarding
• Entry and accreditation management
• Search operations
• Crowd and queue management
• Stage and pit security
• Restricted-area monitoring
• Security supervisors and event managers
• Welfare and incident response
• Pedestrian movement management
• Safe event dispersal
• Event consultancy and planning
• Event medical provision and radio hire

Whether you are organising a multi-stage outdoor event, a festival in an unusual location or a public gathering at an established venue, we can create a professional security plan around your audience, layout and operational requirements.

For more information about Airsec’s event security services or to request a free, no-obligation discussion, please contact our team. You can also learn more about The Vench and its role as a community space in Lockleaze.

Our approach is simple: friendly people, thorough planning, clear communication and dependable security : helping you deliver a safe, welcoming and successful event.