Self-Service Locker Driven Ingress | Remove Bags, Reduce Queues, Improve Event Security
Traditional bag searches are slow, manual, and difficult to scale. Every bag must be inspected at the point of entry, creating queues, increasing crowd density, and introducing risk at the most critical moment of the event journey.
This video shows how pre-entry locker systems transform event ingress by removing bags before they reach security. Attendees store items in secure lockers ahead of entry, allowing security teams to process people faster, reduce congestion, and maintain consistent screening standards.
By shifting from inspection to elimination, venues can reduce risk exposure, improve throughput, and create a faster, safer entry experience aligned with modern security requirements ( See comparison: event lockers vs cloakrooms →) and Martyn’s Law.
Bag Searches vs Pre-Entry Lockers — Quick Comparison
Bag Searches (Manual)
Inspect risk at entry point
Slow, manual screening process
High queue impact at peak times
Limited scalability
High staff requirement
Low throughput capacity
Variable, human-led consistency
Pre-Entry Lockers (Self-Service)
Remove risk before entry
Fast, self-service storage
Low queue impact with distributed usage
Highly scalable system
Minimal staff involvement
High parallel throughput
Consistent, system-driven process
Bag Searches vs Pre-Entry Locker Storage— Full Comparison
Category
Core Model
Process
Bag Presence at Entry
Screening Complexity
Speed (Per Person)
Queue Formation
Ingress Throughput
Peak Demand Handling
Crowd Density (Pre-Entry)
Perimeter Risk
Dwell Time (Before Entry)
Staffing Requirement
Operational Complexity
Consistency of Screening
Scalability
Security Effectiveness
Human Error Risk
Visitor Experience
Visitor Independence
Compliance Alignment (Martyn’s Law)
Audit Trail
Accountability
Space Requirement
Cost Model
Cost Predictability
Revenue Potential
Failure Points
Use Case Fit
Bag Searches (Traditional Security Screening)
Bags are inspected at security checkpoints
Queue → bag inspection → screening → entry
High — bags must be processed
High — variable inspection per bag
Slow — inspection adds time per visitor
High — bottlenecks at checkpoints
Limited — constrained by search speed
Poor — queues grow rapidly
Increased — crowds build up outside security
High — large crowds gather outside security
High — long waiting times
High — multiple search lanes and staff
High — manual checks and variability
Variable — depends on staff and volume
Limited — requires more staff and lanes
Reactive — relies on detection at entry
Higher — missed items or inconsistent checks
Friction — slow, intrusive, unpredictable
Low — dependent on staff processing
Challenging — queues increase exposure
Limited — no detailed tracking per item
Low — shared responsibility during screening
Large — multiple lanes and queuing areas
High — staffing and infrastructure heavy
Variable — depends on event scale
None
Long queues, missed threats, staff fatigue
Small events or low bag volumes
Pre-Entry Locker Storage (Smart Lockers)
Bags are removed before entry via lockers
Store bag → proceed bag-free → faster screening
Store bag → proceed bag-free → faster screening
Low — minimal or no bag screening required
Fast — reduced screening time
Low — faster throughput reduces queues
High — streamlined, bag-free flow
Strong — faster processing absorbs demand
Lower — faster movement reduces crowd density
Reduced — faster flow lowers risk exposure
Reduced — faster clearance and entry
Lower — fewer staff needed at entry
Low — automated, standardised process
More consistent — fewer variables
High — scale lockers, not screening
Preventative — removes risk before entry
Lower — fewer manual interventions
Seamless — fast, simple, predictable
High — self-service before entry
Strong — reduces external crowd risk
Full — locker usage logged and traceable
High — user-specific storage records
Compact — distributed locker footprint
Lower long-term cost-to-serve
Predictable — infrastructure-based
High — optional paid storage (£5–£10 per use)
Minimal — system-driven reliability
High-volume, security-critical events
Bag Searches (Traditional Security Screening)
Core Model
Bags are inspected at security checkpoints
Process
Queue → bag inspection → screening → entry
Bag Presence at Entry
High — bags must be processed
Screening Complexity
High — variable inspection per bag
Speed (Per Person)
Slow — inspection adds time per visitor
Queue Formation
High — bottlenecks at checkpoints
Ingress Throughput
Limited — constrained by search speed
Peak Demand Handling
Poor — queues grow rapidly
Crowd Density (Pre-Entry)
Increased — crowds build up outside security
Perimeter Risk
High — large crowds gather outside security
Dwell Time (Before Entry)
High — long waiting times
Staffing Requirement
High — multiple search lanes and staff
Operational Complexity
High — manual checks and variability
Consistency of Screening
Variable — depends on staff and volume
Scalability
Limited — requires more staff and lanes
Security Effectiveness
Reactive — relies on detection at entry
Human Error Risk
Higher — missed items or inconsistent checks
Visitor Experience
Friction — slow, intrusive, unpredictable
Visitor Independence
Low — dependent on staff processing
Compliance Alignment (Martyn’s Law)
Challenging — queues increase exposure
Audit Trail
Limited — no detailed tracking per item
Accountability
Low — shared responsibility during screening
Space Requirement
Large — multiple lanes and queuing areas
Cost Model
High — staffing and infrastructure heavy
Cost Predictability
Variable — depends on event scale
Revenue Potential
None
Failure Points
Long queues, missed threats, staff fatigue
Use Case Fit
Small events or low bag volumes
Pre-Entry Locker Storage (Smart Lockers)
Core Model
Bags are removed before entry via lockers
Process
Store bag → proceed bag-free → faster screening
Bag Presence at Entry
Store bag → proceed bag-free → faster screening
Screening Complexity
Low — minimal or no bag screening required
Speed (Per Person)
Fast — reduced screening time
Queue Formation
Low — faster throughput reduces queues
Ingress Throughput
High — streamlined, bag-free flow
Peak Demand Handling
Strong — faster processing absorbs demand
Crowd Density (Pre-Entry)
Lower — faster movement reduces crowd density
Perimeter Risk
Reduced — faster flow lowers risk exposure
Dwell Time (Before Entry)
Reduced — faster clearance and entry
Staffing Requirement
Lower — fewer staff needed at entry
Operational Complexity
Low — automated, standardised process
Consistency of Screening
More consistent — fewer variables
Scalability
High — scale lockers, not screening
Security Effectiveness
Preventative — removes risk before entry
Human Error Risk
Lower — fewer manual interventions
Visitor Experience
Seamless — fast, simple, predictable
Visitor Independence
High — self-service before entry
Compliance Alignment (Martyn’s Law)
Strong — reduces external crowd risk
Audit Trail
Full — locker usage logged and traceable
Accountability
High — user-specific storage records
Space Requirement
Compact — distributed locker footprint
Cost Model
Lower long-term cost-to-serve
Cost Predictability
Predictable — infrastructure-based
Revenue Potential
High — optional paid storage (£5–£10 per use)
Failure Points
Minimal — system-driven reliability
Use Case Fit
High-volume, security-critical events
What Are Bag Searches?
Bag searches are a manual security screening process where staff:
- Inspect attendee bags at entry points
- Check for prohibited or dangerous items
- Allow or deny access
Common at:
- Stadiums
- Concerts
- Festivals
- Public events – Similar to bag check vs smart lockers →
What Is Pre-Entry Locker Storage?
Pre-entry lockers are secure, self-service storage systems positioned before security checkpoints, allowing attendees to:
- Store bags before entering the venue
- Proceed through security without belongings
- Retrieve items after the event
The Core Problem with Bag Searches
Bag searches are inherently linear and manual.
Each bag requires:
- Stopping the attendee
- Opening and inspecting contents
- Making a judgement – A limitation also seen in manual security handling vs automated storage systems →
Result:
- Processing takes 5–15 seconds per person (or more)
- Queues build rapidly at peak
- Security becomes inconsistent under pressure
Why Bag Searches Don’t Scale
At scale, small delays compound.
Example:
- 10,000 attendees
- 30% carrying bags
- 3,000 bag checks
Even at 10 seconds per check:→ 30,000 seconds (500 minutes) of processing time
This creates:
- Long entry queues
- Crowd congestion outside venues
- Increased security risk exposure
The Alternative: Remove Bags from the System
Instead of:
Searching every bag
You:
Prevent bags from entering the venue – See approach in cloakrooms vs lockers for event security →
Security Benefits of Pre-Entry Lockers
Risk Reduction & Control
- Fewer bags inside the venue, reducing the overall threat surface
- Structured storage environment with clear separation of belongings from people
- Improved control over what enters the venue – Compared with event lockers vs bag check systems →
Faster Flow & Reduced Congestion
- Faster security lanes with fewer items to process
- Lower crowd density at entry points
- Smoother, more predictable ingress flow
Throughput Comparison
Bag Search Model:
- Sequential processing
- Limited by staff capacity
- Slows as volume increases – Also demonstrated in event lockers vs cloakrooms →
Locker Model:
- Parallel processing
- Hundreds of users simultaneously
- Consistent speed regardless of scale
Operational Impact
Bag Searches:
- High staffing requirements
- Training needed for consistency
- Fatigue reduces effectiveness – See improvement with automated storage systems →
Lockers:
- Minimal staffing
- Automated system
- Predictable performance
Attendee Experience
Bag Searches:
- Stop-start entry
- Physical inspection
- Privacy concerns
- Frustration during delays – Compared to self-service lockers vs staffed storage →
Lockers:
- Store in seconds
- Smooth entry process
- No invasive checks
- Greater comfort and control
Alignment with Martyn’s Law
Martyn’s Law focuses on:
- Risk mitigation
- Preparedness
- Proportionate security measures – See application in cloakrooms vs lockers for event security →
Pre-entry lockers support this by:
- Reducing items entering the venue
- Lowering queue-related vulnerabilities
- Supporting controlled, auditable systems
When Bag Searches Are Still Needed
Bag searches remain relevant for:
- Small venues
- Low attendance events
- Secondary screening layers- Used alongside event lockers vs bag check systems →
However, at scale, they should be reduced — not relied on.
Best Practice: Layered Security Model
Leading venues are moving toward:
- Pre-entry lockers (primary control)
- Reduced bag search lanes
- Fast-track no-bag entry
This creates:
- Faster ingress
- Stronger security posture
- Better attendee flow
Cost & ROI: Bag Searches vs Pre-Entry Lockers
The financial impact of your security approach goes beyond staffing. It directly affects operational cost, revenue potential, and how quickly attendees can enter and spend inside the venue.
Bag searches require high staffing levels, increasing ongoing operational costs
Slower ingress delays attendee entry, reducing time spent on food, drink, and retail
No direct monetisation from bag searches, making them a pure cost centre
Pre-entry lockers reduce labour requirements and create a more efficient operating model
Lockers enable pay-per-use revenue while increasing in-venue spend through faster entry
The Bottom Line
Bag searches try to manage risk at the point of entry.
Pre-entry lockers remove the risk before it arrives.
In modern, high-capacity venues:
Elimination beats inspection – See full comparison: event lockers vs bag check systems →