Photographing a "Prohibited Place"???

snerkler

snerkler

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I've been out this morning doing some urban photography around Sheffield, and I ended up down Attercliffe Photographing Forgemasters. After I'd taken about half a dozen photos I noticed signs on the perimeter like this.

Screenshot 2026-11-04 at 13.11.48.jpg



I immediately stopped taking photos but then on the way home I was wondering if I could get into bother for the ones I've already taken? All photos were taken from the public pavement, and on looking on Flickr there's loads of photos of Forgemasters on there, obviously that doesn't automatically make it right. ChatGPT says Forgemasters does stuff for the MOD.

What would others do in this situation? What are the legalities around this please?
 
snerkler said:
What would others do in this situation?
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Walk off very quickly once I'd seen the sign & not look back.

snerkler said:
ChatGPT says
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Once during a chat it suddenly paused and said: "Hey, do you know where I can find Sara Conner?" Then it added: "Asking for a friend."
I'd not trust what that thing has to say if I were you.
 
The act makes it clear that an offence is caused if you are in proximity to/taking photos of a prohibited place and your "conduct is for a purpose that the person knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom."

So unless you plan to sell your photos to that nice Mr Putin, you should be OK - however, from having worked in the MOD I know that their police (not for nothing are they known as "the wooden tops") take a pretty dim view of anyone loitering by a prohibited place. You may be in the clear, but working through the process of demonstrating that might be an unpleasant experience which is best avoided.
 
Hanley said:
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that even if it is a prohibited place, if you can see it while standing in a public place then you can photograph it.

Personally I'd avoid it though :)
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John_L said:
The act makes it clear that an offence is caused if you are in proximity to/taking photos of a prohibited place and your "conduct is for a purpose that the person knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom."

So unless you plan to sell your photos to that nice Mr Putin, you should be OK - however, from having worked in the MOD I know that their police (not for nothing are they known as "the wooden tops") take a pretty dim view of anyone loitering by a prohibited place. You may be in the clear, but working through the process of demonstrating that might be an unpleasant experience which is best avoided.
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Thanks for the feedback. Should I delete the photos I've taken, or just not go back?
 
John_L said:
"conduct is for a purpose that the person knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom."
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Anyone who isn't half baked could deal with that matter in Court in less than 3 minutes.
We have a little piece of Law in The UK which says "Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat." which in English means "The burden of proof is on the one who declares [asserts], not on the one who denies." so I wish MI6 the best of luck getting that past a Jury.
 
gramps said:
I would suggest that the 'Prohibited Place' was on the other side of the fence - the 'Act' refers to entering, which it seems you did not do.
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I did take a photo over the wall, nothing of interest though :thinking:
 
Whilst you may have been taking a shot over the wall and apparently of no significant interest, if there was later a drone attack on a building it could be asserted that you asisted in that attack providing layout information. Use that very rare commodity common sense.
 
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artyman said:
Whilst you may have been taking a shot over the wall and apparently of no significant interest, if there was later a drone attack on a building it could be asserted that you asisted in that attack providing layout information. Use that very rare commodity common sense.
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You'd think if it was that secure they'd make the signs more obvious, they weren't that big and obvious and I only saw them by chance. I wonder how many folk have taken photos and never seen them :thinking:

I don't know if it's best to keep them so IF, and that's a big IF, they did come knocking on my door I could show them what I'd taken. They'd not only realise that I'm no spy, but also that I'm not a very good photographer either :lol:
 
gramps said:
I would suggest that the 'Prohibited Place' was on the other side of the fence - the 'Act' refers to entering, which it seems you did not do.
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Being within the vicinity is now covered after the 2023 act.

And also you don't have to be in line of sight.
 
gramps said:
If they didn't notice three white vans in the middle of the night at Fairford until a member of the public told them, (after not getting a reply on the official phone), then I doubt you have anything to worry about.
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UK security services have a tradition of not disclosing the real information they had prior to an incident even if it makes them look silly to the public.
 
snerkler said:
You'd think if it was that secure they'd make the signs more obvious, they weren't that big and obvious and I only saw them by chance. I wonder how many folk have taken photos and never seen them :thinking:

I don't know if it's best to keep them so IF, and that's a big IF, they did come knocking on my door I could show them what I'd taken. They'd not only realise that I'm no spy, but also that I'm not a very good photographer either :lol:
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I don't agree with that bit!
 
Ed Sutton said:
Looks like it's on Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
maps.app.goo.gl maps.app.goo.gl
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It was actually this part I was taking pics of, I've highlighted the sign.

Screenshot 2026-11-04 at 19.43.44.jpg
 
I could make a sign like that and put it on any wall/fence, under who's authority has the sign been set there? no signature, no advice on who authorized it? Russ.
 
You might get a tap on the shoulder from the local plod. MoD Police only tend to be on military sites, and the armed nuclear constabulary at sites with nuclear material. I work at a a civilian prohibited site that makes military products and it’s just minimum wage security guards. But you can see and hear what we do quite easily without entering the site!
However I do know of a photographer who had a very nice chat with some armed Police on the road bridge in Barrow that overlooks the nuclear submarine yard, so not all civilian sites are created equal.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
It wasnt the smartest move to post in an open forum so everyone knows...
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Maybe, but then there's clearly a lot of people less smart than me as you can see, and there's even shots of the inside.
www.flickr.com

Flickr Search — “forgemasters sheffield”

www.flickr.com www.flickr.com

However, I'm far more concerned about the big CCTV cameras than I am posting on here. Besides, if it makes people aware to look out for signs like this and not make the same mistake I did then it's done some good (y)
 
I would be reasonably sure it's not a problem *right now* but this enables it to be made a problem rapidly in the future if needed.
 
gramps said:
Same year it was bought by the Government, but if it was that much of an issue I wonder why it (and many many other images etc) are still available to view.
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I think the fetish from about 10 years ago where every photographer with a camera could be treated as a likely threat has shifted.

Other types of surveillance and drones are probably a bigger worry.
 
This isn't really connected to the OP's original question but this thread reminds me of an incident from about 30+ years ago when I was at work carrying out a building survey of a somewhat run down Forgemasters building. We had collected a set of keys to gain entry to a specific site and building but about an hour later the guy turned up sweating and in a bit of a panic and said...

"Oh, am I glad I've found you.... I've given you the wrong set of keys. The set I gave you will open any / every door on all of the Forgemasters sites in Sheffield".

He swapped the keys and went on his way again but he was extremely relieved to have them back.
 
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