Waking Watch case study
Encore Group needed continuous waking watch across six residential blocks in Westminster after the building’s Fire Risk Assessment identified an interim need for patrols. We had officers on site within four hours and ran two per shift, 24 hours a day, for eight months until permanent fire safety measures were confirmed.
Encore Group needed continuous waking watch cover at New Palace Place, a six-block residential development in Westminster. Each block rises to six floors plus a basement, and a 24-hour concierge team was already on site.
The building’s Fire Risk Assessment had identified an interim need for continuous patrols under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, to run until permanent fire safety measures were confirmed in place.
We had a team on site within four hours of the initial enquiry.
Two fire-trained waking watch officers covered all six blocks per shift, 24 hours a day, for the full eight months, working alongside the development’s concierge team. Officer numbers came from the site’s Fire Risk Assessment rather than a fixed ratio, following the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Simultaneous Evacuation Guidance, which requires staffing to be assessed building by building.
Every officer was trained in fire awareness and evacuation, uniformed and identifiable on site, and carried a two-way radio to stay in contact with the rest of the team, the concierge desk and the fire and rescue service.
London Fire Brigade visited several times during the contract to check the team’s training and compliance. Every visit passed.
Our officers were called on to evacuate the building during the contract. The team followed the agreed evacuation procedure and every resident was brought out safely. London Fire Brigade praised how quickly they reacted.
The watch stood down on 15 December 2025, just under eight months after it started, once permanent fire safety measures were confirmed in place. NFCC guidance is clear that a waking watch is a short-term measure, and this one ended as soon as it was no longer needed.
Ashridge Group have delivered waking watch across a number of our sites and the service has been exceptional throughout. They understand the requirements fully, attending site to carry out detailed assessments before producing thorough method statements and complete patrol plans, all of which were created quickly and implemented without fuss. The result has been the right number of staff to deliver the patrols properly, personnel of a consistently high calibre, and record keeping of a very good standard. They have demonstrated excellent value for money alongside a safe, knowledgeable and highly professional service, and I would happily recommend them to others.
At New Palace Place we had officers on site within four hours of the initial enquiry. Four hours is what we achieved on this deployment; mobilisation is more typically within 24 hours, and often same-day where a fire and rescue authority has issued a notice. What sets the pace is how quickly the building can give us its evacuation procedure and access arrangements.
Just under eight months, from April 2025 to 15 December 2025. It stood down as soon as permanent fire safety measures were confirmed in place. National Fire Chiefs Council guidance treats a waking watch as a short-term interim measure, not a standing arrangement, so the question we expect from any client is when it ends rather than whether it continues.
Two officers per shift covered all six blocks, 24 hours a day. That number came from the building’s own Fire Risk Assessment, not from a fixed ratio. NFCC Simultaneous Evacuation Guidance requires waking watch staffing to be assessed building by building, taking account of layout, storey count and travel distances, which is why two buildings of similar size can need different cover.
Our officers were called on to evacuate the development during the contract. The team followed the agreed evacuation procedure and every resident was brought out safely. London Fire Brigade praised how quickly they reacted. LFB also visited the site several times during the eight months to check the team’s training and compliance, and every visit passed.
Reviewed by Emma Walker, Group Managing Director. Published · updated .
Ashridge Group is SIA ACS approved and holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 accreditation. See all our accreditations
The service
This engagement was delivered by our waking watch team. Read how the service works, what it covers and how it is staffed on our waking watch and fire safety services page.
The area
We work across London and the surrounding region. See the sites, sectors and services we cover in London.
Further reading
Working out whether this fits your own site? Our guide to what a waking watch costs, and what the alternative costs covers the numbers and the standards in more detail.
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