As British summertime draws to a close and the clocks go back, statistics show that the week between Halloween (31^st October) and Bonfire Night (5^th November) attracts a much higher rate of crime than the rest of the year.

Significant increases in property & vehicle damage, burglaries and malicious damage unfortunately make the week leading up to bonfire night one of the worst for crime.

While these holidays can be a great opportunity for independent opticians to get out the celebratory decorations and increase practise footfall, it’s important you don’t get distracted and take appropriate measures to protect your customers and your assets.

With this in mind, how can your ensure your premises stays safe in the lead up to bonfire night?

Burglars

With burglaries rising by an average of 26% over Halloween, it is essential that you take extra precaution to protect your premises. Test practise alarms, ensure all entryways are locked and all windows are secured before you shut up for the night and thieves should be deterred. It’s worth checking well in advance what is covered on your insurance policy so in the unfortunate event that your practise is targeted by thieves, you have peace of mind that stock and any expensive bits of equipment and technology are covered.

Property damage

Unfortunately pranks go hand in hand with Halloween, and while the majority are good spirited and harmless, practise owners may find themselves tackling potentially serious and expensive acts of vandalism. Combat tricksters by taking extra caution and thinking defensively – visual security clues such as motion sensor lighting, surveillance signage and CCTV could all deter potential vandals and keep your practise safe in the future.

Decorations & displays

Practises often get highly creative and decorative with interior and window displays around this time of year, often with use of props, lights and products.

While it’s great to make the shop look as magical as possible, be aware that decorations also go hand-in-hand with potential accidents and injuries. Choose displays carefully, ensuring extension chords and lighting cables are well tucked away, no props are obstructing fire exits and extra caution is taken when using real candles.

Make your practise as safe and secure as possible and there’s no chance a customer or employee will be injured in your practise.

Follow these steps and your practise should be able to have a fun and risk free Halloween.

Here at Infocus Opticians Insurance, we believe the best way to avoid a claim is to practise in a professional, cautious and competent manner.

Of course not every risk can be avoided, and there is no foolproof way of protecting your business. Infocus Opticians Insurance provides you with the peace of mind you need should you find yourself facing the prospect of a claim. Get in touch today to discuss your options.

Written by: admin