New law will force out 30,000 bouncers

Thousands of pub and club bouncers are facing the axe as new regulations come into force.

Changes in the law will require doormen and guards to carry a licence from the Security Industry Authority.

Industry experts estimate that about one in 10 of Britain's 300,000 bouncers will not qualify.

To gain a licence, workers in the private security industry will have to prove they have had no involvement in crime for up to five years. They will also be required to undertake training.

The new regulations are set out in the 2001 Private Security Industry Act, which comes into effect next year.

Kevin Lapwood of stockbroker ING Financial Markets said: "The bottom line is that no one with a criminal record or without the specified training will be able to get a licence. It could mean that 30,000 people lose their jobs," he told the Sun.