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The Client:
Voted as one of the best in the UK, Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market attracts visitors from across the country and beyond.
Running from November until December, Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market takes place squarely in the heart of the historic city centre against the backdrop of the stunning cathedral. Inspired by traditional German markets it draws around half a million visitors each year.
The Challenge:
Ever since the tragic attack in Berlin in 2016, Christmas Markets have become targets for potential terror attacks. To secure such a high-profile event, our Surface Guard deployment partner Crowdguard Ltd was brought on to provide hostile vehicle mitigation.
The Objective:
Prior to the deployment, a site visit was conducted, identifying two locations in need of protection. Due to the busy nature of the Christmas market, with huge crowds moving in and out of the event, it was determined that they needed a temporary solution that could allow pedestrians through while preventing access from unauthorised vehicles.
The Solution:
Winchester Cathedral had previously used our Surface Guard barrier to protect the Christmas market and wanted to ensure the same level of protection at the next one. This time our officially approved installer Crowdguard was brought in to deploy the barrier for the event, ensuring the Surface Guard was installed quickly and securely.
With the high numbers of crowds expected to attend, the Surface Guard’s crowd permeable design made it the ideal choice for perimeter security as it would allow visitors to flow through freely while still protecting them from vehicle threats.
The Results:
Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market was one of the single longest deployments for the Surface Guard barrier, as the market ran from the 21st of November through to the 22nd of December. This particular deployment proved the durability and flexibility of the system, demonstrating its ability to be used for projects of any type.
Unlike some security barriers, the Surface Guard’s elegant design allowed it to blend into the environment, helping to avoid a fortress mentality.
