Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) has announced a significant enhancement to its city centre safety provision with the expansion of the Winchester BID Ranger service from five days to seven days a week.
The increased security presence forms part of the BID’s ongoing commitment to supporting businesses, reducing crime and antisocial behaviour, and strengthening the work of the Winchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership (WBCRP).
The expanded service, which is provided by Venture Security Management, will offer businesses, visitors and residents increased reassurance throughout the week, ensuring a consistent and visible security presence across Winchester city centre. The additional coverage reflects the growing importance of collaborative crime prevention initiatives and the BID’s continued investment in maintaining Winchester as a safe, welcoming and vibrant destination.
New Ranger, Oscar Holloway has joined the Winchester team and will work alongside Charlie Tuck, and Brett Jones, who has been promoted to Team Leader. In his new role, Brett will be responsible for day-to-day leadership, coordination and delivery of the service working closely with Jane Bastock, Business Crime Reduction Manager at Winchester BID.
The expansion of the Ranger service forms part of the wider work delivered through the WBCRP, which is managed by the BID. This is an accredited partnership that brings together businesses, Hampshire Police and the Winchester Community Safety Partnership to share intelligence, coordinate crime prevention activity and strengthen links with regional and national crime reduction networks.
A key element of the partnership is the secure intelligence-sharing platform DISC, which has been used by members since 2015. DISC enables businesses to share information on crime trends, banned individuals, suspicious activity and identification sought images, helping members to respond quickly and effectively to emerging issues. Members of Shopwatch and Pubwatch can also submit intelligence logs and report incidents directly through the system.
The WBCRP oversees Winchester’s long-established Shopwatch and Pubwatch schemes, which have operated successfully for more than 15 years. Through regular meetings and intelligence sharing, businesses work together to identify offenders, agree exclusion notices where appropriate and tackle issues affecting the city centre economy.
Supporting this work is the Winchester Radio Link Scheme, a secure communications network connecting participating businesses, the Rangers, Hampshire Police, Winchester City Council’s CCTV Control Room and other partner agencies. The digital radio system enables real-time communication and rapid response to incidents, further enhancing safety and security across the city centre.
Jane Bastock, Business Crime Reduction Manager at Winchester BID, said: “The strength of the Winchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership lies in the close collaboration between businesses, Hampshire Police, Winchester City Council and our partner agencies. By sharing information and intelligence, we can take a proactive approach to preventing crime and keeping Winchester city centre safe. The expansion of the Ranger service to seven days a week further strengthens that commitment, and I would like to thank all our members and partners for their continued support. Businesses can contact the Rangers quickly and easily via the Radio Link network, email or mobile phone, ensuring help is always close at hand when needed.”
Chief Inspector Matt Kirby, District Commander for Winchester at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said: “We welcome Winchester BID’s investment in extending Ranger patrols to seven days a week. This increased presence enhances visibility and reassurance in the city centre, and strengthens our ability to work together to prevent crime and respond to issues quickly. As Winchester’s District Commander, I am proud of our continued partnership, which plays a vital role in keeping Winchester safe and welcoming for all.”
Picture: From left to right, Rangers Charlie and Oscar, Business Crime Reduction Manager Jane and Ranger Team Leader Brett.
