ISJ hears exclusively from Richard Ellis, Managing Director of ATG Access about how strategic, performance-led protection keeps festive cities safe and adaptable without compromise.
As the festive period approaches, city centres across the world are preparing for an influx of visitors attending Christmas markets, winter festivals and late-night shopping events.
These seasonal gatherings are important for local economies and community wellbeing, but they also create unique security challenges.
Over recent years, we’ve seen how crowded seasonal events can become potential targets for hostile vehicle attacks and other security threats.
Attacks such as those in Germany, France and the UK have demonstrated the devastating impact they can have on public spaces and the operational complexity involved in preventing them.
Authorities are increasingly called upon to secure critical infrastructure, retail areas and public event sites, while maintaining accessibility, freedom of movement and a positive visitor experience.
This requires a shift in mindset. Instead of reactive or seasonal responses, cities must adopt a strategic, performance-led design approach that embeds long-term protection into the fabric of public spaces.
Event-related security planning is often constrained by time. Too many projects begin late in the calendar year, leaving security professionals with limited options and tight deployment windows.
The temptation to cut costs or simplify specifications to meet deadlines can undermine both protection and public perception.
The earlier security is factored in, the greater the freedom to design solutions that are functional, discreet and sympathetic to the place.
Performance-led design is about creating the right solution for the specific risk, threat and operational environment.
When implemented properly, it balances quality, performance, durability, flexibility and visual integration, ensuring safety without sacrificing accessibility or aesthetics.
Effective planning requires early engagement between key stakeholders such as local authorities, event organisers, HVM specialists and designers.
When there is collaboration from the outset, protective measures can be integrated seamlessly into the built environment, rather than imposed as afterthoughts.
Crucially, this must be supported by comprehensive threat, vulnerability and risk assessments, including vehicle dynamics assessment.
Only then can the right HVM solution be specified, which is proportionate to the environment and tailored to its unique layout, location and operational context.
The unpredictable nature of modern terrorism and the increasing use of everyday vehicles as weapons have led many cities to adopt obvious protective deterrents such as concrete blocks.
While these structures deliver a clear message, they also risk creating what has become known as a fortress mentality.
In practice, this approach can make urban spaces feel hostile rather than safe and can conflict with the aesthetic goals of a city or a festive celebration.
Public safety must not come at the cost of public confidence.
Security design has matured considerably over the past decade. Modern Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) systems allow protective infrastructure to blend into the urban landscape, forming part of its design language rather than standing apart from it.
Street furniture, planters, cycle stands and lighting columns can all serve dual purposes as protective devices.
During the festive season, permanent bollards and security can even be dressed in advertising wraps, aligning with Christmas themes and retail branding while maintaining tested performance.
In this way, security no longer detracts from the public realm but becomes an integral part of it.
Permanent protective infrastructure offers significant long-term advantages. Once a secure zone is established with discreet, high-performance HVM, cities can use that area for a wide range of activities throughout the year, without repeatedly adjusting or redeploying security measures.
A space that hosts a Christmas market in December might become a summer food festival site in July, a stage for cultural performances in spring or an outdoor hospitality hub at weekends.
With the protective perimeter already in place, operators and organisers can plan with confidence and local authorities can reduce operational pressure and seasonal costs.
This long-term, performance-led approach turns public spaces into flexible civic assets that can be commercialised through event hosting, trading licences and cultural programming, generating year-round economic value.
By integrating protection into the fabric of the streetscape, cities can also create environments that feel safe, attractive and welcoming.
Well-considered, unobtrusive security encourages people to linger, shop, explore and celebrate, supporting both footfall and everyday activity.
Permanent HVM solutions continue to evolve, allowing protection to be fully integrated into the public realm without compromising usability.
Performance-led design is not simply about the strength or certification of protective measures, it is equally about their long-term value and how they contribute to the wider sense of place.
Well-designed systems support accessibility, improve navigation and reinforce the visual coherence of streets and squares.
Through customised finishes, coordinated colour schemes and event-specific wraps or lighting, permanent HVM can be tailored to reflect local heritage, seasonal celebrations or commercial partnerships.
This adaptability ensures that protection participates in the evolving identity of a city, rather than appearing static or oppressive.
International frameworks such as ISO 22341 reinforce the importance of proportionate, risk-based mitigation and the integration of resilience within urban design.
With careful planning, protected zones can support year-round activity, reduce reliance on temporary measures and strengthen long-term resilience, creating safer, more commercially dynamic environments with minimal disruption to everyday life.
The principles that safeguard Christmas events should not fade once the festive lights come down. They should inform a broader, long-term vision for resilient towns and cities throughout the year.
By investing in performance-led protective solutions, cities can create spaces that are not only secure but also flexible, commercially dynamic and aesthetically appealing.
These spaces become assets that serve residents, businesses and visitors alike, providing confidence without compromise.
The most effective security is the kind that blends seamlessly into the fabric of the city, designed with care, engineered with precision and trusted day after day.
A bollard is for life, not just for Christmas.
And when planned intelligently, it becomes part of a city’s identity, supporting both safety and celebration, today and for years to come.