A £21.5m contract with Tate to deliver security and visitor services across the art institution’s locations, including in London Tate Britain and Tate Modern, has gone to Mitie. The contract will initially run for three years with the option to extend for a further two years. Mitie describe the win – the work was long in the hands of Wilson James – as a significant expansion of cultural and heritage customer portfolio.
Tate Modern alone, pictured, on the South Bank of the Thames in Southwark, sees some 4.6 million annual visitors. Mitie adds that it already has more than 27,000 security officers protecting some of Britain’s biggest organisations, landmarks and national critical infrastructure. Under the contract, some 275 will transfer to the security and facilities management (FM) contractor via TUPE. The visitor services they provide include answering questions about the artwork, besides out of hours events and gallery security; and visitor search and screening. Security intelligence services will be supported by Mitie’s Intelligence Security Operations Centre (ISOC) in Northampton. Officers will be connected to the ISOC providing 24/7 remote monitoring services across the estate. Mitie speaks also of data-driven intelligence for threat detection and risk management, based on records of local crime, theft and anti-social behaviour.
Mitie adds that it will work with Tate on upskilling of staff. The facilities contractor says it will also focus on ensuring Tate sites are fully inclusive, supporting the diverse needs of its visitors, ensuring sites are accessible to all. This will be achieved through the formation of diversity networks which will provide qualitative feedback, enabling the contractor to assess the guest experience through the lens of minority groups to ensure the galleries provide appropriate safeguarding and meet accessibility needs.
Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services at Mitie said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Tate to deliver industry-leading security, combining on-site presence, with security intelligence, to protect some of the UK’s most treasured cultural spaces, reflecting our commitment to creating safer communities. We look forward to supporting the wider Tate operations and will work to make each gallery an inclusive and secure environment for the millions who visit these locations each year.”
