Keyboard: ↑ or + for in, ↓ or − for out. Counts stay on this device until you reset them.
Why count
A licensed venue's capacity is set by its fire risk assessment and premises licence, and exceeding it is both a safety failure and a licensing breach. The person on the door needs three numbers all night: how many came in, how many went out, and how many are inside now. A clicker on a lanyard gives you one of them. This gives you all three, with the capacity you set as the ceiling.
- Open means under 80 per cent of capacity.
- Filling up means 80 to 95 per cent. Slow the queue, make sure the exits are counting.
- At capacity means one out, one in.
- Over capacity means stop entry and start letting people leave. The counter will not let you pretend otherwise.
Tips
- Agree a count with the exit door at a set time, for example every half hour, and correct your number if the two doors disagree.
- Use "Already inside at start" when you take over mid-shift from a colleague's count.
- Undo fixes a mis-tap. Reset is for the start of a new night and asks first.
- Managing entry, queues and capacity is covered on the Door Supervisor course; plan the start of the night with the event queue calculator.
FAQ
How do door staff count people in a venue?
A running count of entries minus exits, kept at the door and reconciled with the exit door regularly. Counters, whether mechanical or this page, keep the number honest when it is busy.
What happens if a venue is over capacity?
Entry must stop until enough people leave. Over capacity can invalidate the fire risk assessment and breach the premises licence, and the licence holder and door staff can be held responsible.
Does the counter record who comes in?
No. It records numbers and times only, on this device, and only until you reset it.