On the 15^th February, a group of around twenty Apprentices and Apprentice Masters had the exciting opportunity to visit Wembley Stadium. The visit had been arranged by Past Master Yasmeen Stratton and was hosted by Mr Steven McGrath, Head of Security for Wembley Stadium. The overview of the Wembley complex and the issues affecting the security of the stadium provided a thrilling insight into the security operations of a large scale venue. Wembley Stadium is a multipurpose venue that hosts a variety of sporting and cultural events, including football matches, concerts, and other large-scale performances.

The original Wembley Stadium was opened in 1923, providing a rich football history and heritage. It was demolished in 2003 to make way for a new, state-of-the-art facility, which opened in 2007. The new stadium can hold up to 90,000 spectators and features a retractable roof, supported by the iconic arch, which rises 133 meters above the stadium and can be seen from miles around.

The tour started in the boardroom where the Head of Security, Mr. Steve McGrath, gave us a brief overview of the hundred years of Wembley history before talking us through the security challenges that come with hosting large events, as well as the day to day security of the stadium. These challenges surround crowd control, hooliganism, terrorism, and cybersecurity and we got an outline of the measures put in place to mitigate the risk of attack.

Wembley Stadium takes the security of the venue seriously, implementing a plethora of measures to ensure the safety of all visitors. The security team does not achieve this on its own. The stadium uses established partnerships with the stakeholders. These include local residences, the hospitality industry, and the police to ensure that it is well-prepared to handle any potential security threats.

Following the talk, we continued the tour of the stadium. The Exhibition area, with displays of memorabilia from past events reinforced the rich history of the venue. We proceeded to the Royal Box before heading pitch-side to see the stadium from the perspective of the players. Naturally, this excited all the football enthusiasts.

Through the Players’ Tunnel we proceeded to the Press Conference Room. Here, we got to experience the effectiveness of the security system first-hand to keep a-list names safe and secure. The tour then concluded in the dressing rooms used by the England football team and other major sports teams. We were taught the appropriate rituals and traditions that take place before a game used to ensure victory.

We would like to thank Mr. Steve McGrath and the rest of his Security Team for providing us with such a deep insight into the inner workings of Wembley Stadium, and Past Master Yasmeen Stratton for facilitating this exciting and unique experience.

Charlotte Scott

Apprentice