Edward Sherry OBE

Edward “Ed” Sherry OBE is Director of Strategic Licensing and Night-Time Economy at Complete Licensing. A former Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector, Ed brings more than 30 years of policing, licensing, public-safety and crisis-management experience to businesses operating in the hospitality, leisure and entertainment industries.

His career has placed him at the centre of some of the UK’s most demanding night-time environments. Today, he uses that experience to help licensed premises prevent problems, respond effectively to serious incidents and protect their premises licences, customers and reputations.

Three decades of Metropolitan Police experience

Ed served with the Metropolitan Police for more than three decades, spending approximately 20 years working in Westminster. He developed specialist knowledge of policing Soho and London’s West End — one of the busiest and most complex night-time economies in the world.

As Chief Inspector responsible for Charing Cross Police Station, Ed commanded approximately 220 officers providing round-the-clock policing. His responsibilities included teams dealing with licensed premises, crime and disorder, public safety and the challenges created by large numbers of visitors entering the West End every evening.

Ed worked closely with major hospitality operators, including Mitchells & Butlers. This included accompanying security and legal teams on joint patrols through Soho and completing a two-week secondment with the company. The experience gave him an unusual understanding of licensing from both sides: the responsibilities of the police and licensing authorities, and the commercial pressures facing operators.

He was also closely involved with CivicWatch, Westminster’s multi-agency partnership between the police, council services and local communities. A Westminster City Council report from 2004 names Chief Inspector Ed Sherry as a Metropolitan Police representative and records the initiative’s positive effect on policing, partnership working and responses to local problems.

Ed’s experience was subsequently used beyond London when he was asked to review Southampton’s city-centre night-time economy. His approach separated intelligence gathering and strategic planning from day-to-day operational activity, allowing agencies to identify problems, allocate resources and develop targeted interventions.

Transforming the Volunteer Police Cadets

Alongside his operational policing career, Ed became a leading figure in the development of the Volunteer Police Cadets.

He pioneered a more inclusive and accessible cadet model in central London, designed to engage young people from the same diverse communities being policed. The approach expanded across all 32 London boroughs before Ed was appointed Strategic Director of the National Volunteer Police Cadets.

The Youth United Foundation’s profile of Ed Sherry credits him with shaping nationally agreed aims and principles, securing more than £5 million in funding and supporting a 200% increase in cadet numbers. The Volunteer Police Cadets subsequently became established across every police force in England and Wales.

His role in the national expansion was already evident in 2013, when Police Life reported on Ed attending Lancashire Constabulary’s first Volunteer Police Cadet attestation ceremony.

In 2016, Police Professional reported on a £1.8 million Home Office grant supporting the programme’s expansion. The report identified Ed as National VPC Programme Director and highlighted the programme’s commitment to diversity, community volunteering and the inclusion of young people from vulnerable backgrounds.

Ed also helped connect the cadets with wider community initiatives. In 2020, he represented the national programme in a partnership with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, supporting youth-led social-action projects intended to improve communities and challenge negative perceptions. The initiative was covered by Black History Month UK.

Awarded an OBE for services to policing and young people

Ed was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours. His official honours citation recognised his “services to Young People and Policing”.

He continues to support youth development as a trustee of the Youth United Foundation, which brings together 12 of the UK’s leading uniformed youth organisations. The Foundation was created with the support of King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales, and The Royal Family confirms that His Majesty remains its Royal Patron.

Risk, resilience and crisis-management expertise

Ed holds an MSc with distinction in Risk, Crisis and Resilience Management from the University of Portsmouth. His academic research examined governance within the Volunteer Police Cadets, combining practical leadership experience with formal risk-management principles.

His crisis-management expertise has also been applied directly within the hospitality industry. In 2017, Professional Security Magazine reported on Ed and other former senior Metropolitan Police officers training 100 security and general managers from London pubs and clubs. The training covered crime-scene management, serious incidents and the licensing consequences of failing to plan for or manage an emergency properly.

This combination of operational command, licensing knowledge and academic study enables Ed to assess not only what has gone wrong, but why it happened, what the consequences could be and how the risk of another incident can be reduced.

Edward Sherry and Complete Licensing

At Complete Licensing, Ed advises pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, entertainment venues and event operators on matters including:

• Premises licence applications and variations
• Licensing reviews and contested hearings
• Crime and disorder concerns
• Critical-incident and crisis management
• Compliance audits and operating procedures
• CCTV, incident and evidence reviews
• Staff and management training
• Risk assessments and contingency planning
• Customer welfare and vulnerability
• Partnership working with police and local authorities

His current work includes preparing independent reports and providing evidence in licensing proceedings.

In 2025, an official Westminster Licensing Sub-Committee decision concerning the Windmill Theatre identified Edward Sherry OBE as the applicant’s licensing consultant. Following the agreement of additional safeguards and licence conditions, the Licensing Authority withdrew its objection and the variation application was granted in full.

Ed’s approach is based on calm analysis, careful preparation and proportionate solutions. He understands how the police and local authorities assess licensing risk, but he also appreciates the operational and commercial realities facing hospitality businesses.

Through Complete Licensing’s ongoing compliance support, Ed helps operators identify weaknesses before they develop into serious licensing problems. When an incident or licensing review has already occurred, he assists clients in understanding the evidence, addressing legitimate concerns and presenting a credible plan for improvement.