'Everyone should now be searched going into Sheffield venues. It doesn't matter if you're queuing for hours'

The doorman, who wished to remain anonymous, said that stopping any trouble at the door was the only way to ensure there is no violence inside the venue.

However, after working on the doors for five years in Sheffield city centre, he stressed that it was often 'very difficult' to find a hidden knife on people, even during a search.

His comments come in the wake of six stabbings on New Year's Day at Crystal bar on Carver Street which left two people in a serious condition in hospital.

He said: "There's a lot of pressure on doormen. Some venues want to let anyone in to make money but it's about keeping venues safe and keeping troublemakers out.

"We've only got a 30 second judgement call to make a decision on whether someone comes in. Whether this incident is gang related or not, it's impossible to tell if they come in one by one.

"Currently, we only search around one in 10 people. We do this if there are problems with the pupils, their movement or their jaws.

"Certain venues need a consistent search policy. It doesn't matter if you are queuing for hours. You want it stopped? You have to search everyone at the venue.

"Everyone should have to go through the archway. This has to be done even if it takes hours.

"Sometimes you go to a venue and people ask why they are being searched. It should be a case now of no search, no entry."

South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings has called on venues to rethink their security measures following the stabbings.

He told Hallam FM that security systems are not working if people are entering clubs with blades and said there should be 'no way' in which this should happen.

However, the doorman stressed that they need a better working relationship with police to ensure that people carrying weapons have no chance of getting into the venue.

He said: "Trying to find a knife during a search is very difficult because you can hide them in different places. Depending on the type of blade you can get.

"You can have them in your wallet and it even looks like a credit card, but it folds out into a knife. It's hard to completely stop everything at the door.

"You can bring lots of things into a venue which can be used as a weapon. It's not just knife crime which is a problem.

"This has to be looked at from a policing perspective. What can we do to prevent these things happening?

"What we want to try and resolve with police is getting them into the venue and stopping the incident happening in the first place."

"If you stop it at the door then you are not going to have trouble in the club."

Other city centre venues will now have their arrangements reviewed in a bid to prevent weapons getting into pubs and clubs.

Sheffield District Commander, Chief Superintendent Shaun Morley, said that police already have 'proactive enforcement operations' to address these issues.

However, he confirmed that venues where violence has flared in the past will have their systems reviewed.

He said: "We will be working in partnership with premises where there has been violence and issues in the recent past.

"We will be reviewing their security and search processes and discussing the introduction of ID scanners and polycarbonate glasses and bottles."