Our Story

SPS began life as Security Patrol Services, built around practical, local security support.

The original focus was simple: help clients protect their premises, respond when problems happened, hold keys securely, patrol sites, open and lock buildings, and provide reassurance when businesses needed support.

That practical foundation still matters today. Although the business has changed and grown, clients still need a security provider that can respond properly, communicate clearly and take responsibility when support is needed.

During the 1990s and 2000s, SPS expanded significantly within the security guarding sector. At one stage, the business employed more than 800 security officers across a wide range of contracts, sectors and environments.

Guarding became a major part of the business and remains an important service today. It gave SPS deep operational experience in site security, officer management, client communication, supervision, compliance and out-of-hours support.

It also helped the business understand something important: good security is not just about placing an officer on site. It is about having the right people, the right support, the right reporting, the right escalation process and the right management structure around them.

Over time, the guarding industry changed.

Rising employment costs, increased compliance requirements, recruitment challenges and pressure on margins meant that large-scale guarding models became more difficult to deliver at the standards SPS wanted to maintain.

Rather than simply chasing volume, SPS made a conscious decision to evolve.

The business began moving towards a more balanced, practical and resilient security model — one that still includes guarding, but also brings together mobile patrols, keyholding, alarm response, open-up and lock-up services, remote CCTV monitoring, access control, technical systems and control room coordination.

This shift was not about moving away from security. It was about delivering security in a smarter, more sustainable and more useful way for clients.

In 2000, SPS won its first university contract. More than 25 years later, that relationship still continues.

That long-standing partnership reflects how SPS has grown: through consistency, trust, responsiveness and a willingness to adapt as client needs change.

Over the years, SPS has supported organisations across education, commercial property, industrial sites, retail, healthcare, public-sector locations and mixed-use estates.

Many of these relationships have been built over time because clients wanted a provider that understood their sites, communicated properly and could offer practical support rather than generic security answers.

Today, SPS is increasingly focused on the services that shaped the business in the first place: keyholding, alarm response, mobile patrols, open-up and lock-up services, vacant property checks and out-of-hours site support.

The difference now is that these services are supported by stronger systems and better technology.

Remote CCTV monitoring, access control, alarm signalling, digital incident reporting, control room coordination and technical support allow SPS to provide a more connected service than traditional patrol and response models alone.

This means clients can benefit from practical local response, backed by modern monitoring, reporting and technical capability.

Security guarding remains one of SPS Security's core services, but the focus today is different.

SPS is not trying to be the biggest guarding provider by officer numbers. The priority is to deliver a better-quality service, built around well-supported officers, stronger supervision, clearer reporting and better long-term relationships with clients.

We want to attract and retain high-quality security officers, invest in their training, support them properly and give them the tools they need to perform well.

A stable, trained and motivated team delivers better outcomes for clients. It improves consistency, reduces disruption, strengthens site knowledge and supports a more professional service.

Good security services are built around good people.

SPS continues to invest in recruitment, training, supervision, operational support and staff retention because experienced and supported people provide better service.

Rather than operating a revolving-door staffing model, SPS aims to build long-term teams who understand client sites properly, communicate professionally and take pride in the role they perform.

This people-first approach supports stronger relationships, better consistency and more reliable service delivery across the region.

From around 2018, SPS placed greater focus on security systems, remote monitoring, access control and technical support.

This became an important part of the company's growth. By combining physical security services with technical capability, SPS can support clients with a more joined-up approach.

Instead of separating guarding, keyholding, monitoring and systems support, SPS can help clients understand how these services work together to reduce risk, improve response and provide better visibility.

In 2023, SPS acquired TESS, further strengthening the Group's technical and engineering capability.

This expanded the wider business to a team of 25+ multi-skilled engineers, supporting fire, security, access control, CCTV, alarm systems and wider technical services.

The acquisition strengthened SPS Group's ability to support clients with both people-led security services and technical systems expertise.

In 2024, SPS upgraded its control room, creating a more modern, connected and responsive operation.

The control room now plays a central role in coordinating monitoring, helpdesk support, alarm response, mobile patrols, escalation, incident logging and out-of-hours communication.

This investment reflects where SPS is heading: combining experienced people, local response and modern technology to give clients better visibility and stronger operational support.

Today, SPS Security is part of the wider SPS Group, with £25m+ Group turnover and nearly 1,000 people across Security, Cleaning and Technical Services.

This gives clients access to broader support while still retaining the accountability and responsiveness of a regional provider.

Where appropriate, SPS Group can support clients across security, cleaning, technical systems, monitoring, keyholding, mobile response and maintenance — helping organisations simplify supply chains and improve coordination.

The business has changed, but the core approach has stayed consistent.

SPS continues to focus on doing the basics properly, communicating honestly, supporting its people, being visible and accountable, responding when clients need help, investing in systems and technology, building long-term client relationships and providing best value rather than simply the lowest price.

That approach has shaped the business since 1992 and continues to guide the way SPS works today.

Speak to a Regional Security Team That Knows Your Area

Whether you need guarding, keyholding, alarm response, open-up and lock-up services, mobile patrols, CCTV monitoring, access control support or a wider review of your security arrangements, SPS Security can help you find the right approach.