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Far-right groups across England are transforming extremist activism into premium lifestyle services, offering everything from personal safety escorts to lifestyle mentorship through apps, QR codes and subscription models.
Advertising services including walk-you-home escorts, street patrols, SOS apps, and premium mentorship, they are creating potential revenue streams that fund their broader political activities.
Paid Advice and Unregulated Patrols
At the top end far-right activist Tommy Robinson charges £28 per minute for coaching through the slick app Minnect, where followers can get his advice and viewpoints on topics related to anti-Islam activism and political commentary. However, across the country other local patrol groups are posing as charities and soliciting donations for ‘equipment’ while operating without police recognition.
Together they offer what can best be described as a new form of ‘concierge nationalism’, extremist ideology delivered as an on-demand lifestyle service. Robinson’s model demonstrates the premium end of this commercialisation. However, at the grassroots level, groups like Essex Spartans deploy similar tactics.
This publication recently revealed that similar safeguarding patrols were launched in Bournemouth by far-right activist Gary Bartlett. We can reveal that this strategy has now moved into Epping, Essex, home to the Bell Hotel, housing asylum seekers and the scenes of recent unrest, where Reform UK candidates posed solely as ‘concerned parents’, while giving interviews concealing their political status.
Red Flags and Child Safeguarding Issues
A group, which formed this month, calling itself Essex Spartans, formerly Epping Spartans, is actively recruiting volunteers and expressing the need for “boots on the ground” while describing itself as a “volunteer service protecting vulnerable residents, particularly women, children, and the elderly.”
In an Instagram post of 19 August they claim charitable status: “This is a charity set-up team AND WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP.” Their adverts also suggest they are DBS checked and have a police partnership.
Like Robinson’s premium app model, the Essex Spartans deploy QR codes and donation platforms, claiming that funds will be used to develop their app and purchase equipment, including stab vests. On their fundraising page, the group suggests that “Contributions will help us equip our volunteers with radios, stab vests, protective clothing, and other essential gear — allowing us to respond safely and effectively. ” An Instagram post on 24 August announced plans to launch street patrols on Friday, 29 August.
However, Byline Times can confirm that Essex Spartans isn’t registered with the police or any local authorities, isn’t recognised by community safety schemes, and despite their claims to the contrary, has no charitable status. Their services include offers to “listen without judgement if you don’t feel comfortable speaking with family, or while waiting for mental health services, to walking you home if you feel you are being followed.”
One of their banners features a shield with the words ‘Child Protection.’ A post on the group’s Instagram page from 18 August states: “We are Epping Mothers, Fathers, Aunties and Uncles…” Their ‘about’ page describes them as volunteers with backgrounds ranging from ex-military personnel to concerned residents.
Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police issued a warning to parents over the rise in child radicalisation, warning families to be alert to any signs their child may be being drawn into violent extremism.
Byline Times spoke to a former teacher who volunteers at the Epping Against Racism Network, part of the Stand Up to Racism Network, who told us: “There are serious safeguarding concerns. I find it deeply troubling that this group appear to be offering to accompany children, women and the elderly without any visible vetting process. What accountability mechanisms are in place here?”
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Unregulated Services with No Oversight
Helen Reynolds, Chair of Epping Forest Neighbourhood Watch Committee, said: “Despite their claims of support from my organisation, I can confirm there is none. When I spoke to [Spartans organiser] Jack Golding to counter his statements, he told me he was working with wider Essex Neighbourhood Watch groups. I contacted those groups directly, and they also denied any involvement.”
Essex Police have confirmed that they have no partnership or relationship with this group, and a Cllr for Epping Forest confirmed that the council has not recognised them.
Associations with The Homeland Party
Despite describing themselves as non-political, on 29 July, an advert tagging Tommy Robinson appeared on X in EppingSaysNo!, a group organising anti-migrant protests, as a collaboration between them and Epping Spartans.
Craig Kitts, who calls himself ‘Flag Man,’ is director of Trade Price Recovery and Transport Ltd and one of only four administrators of Epping Says No!
They plan and advertise Epping anti-migrant and nationalist protests.
The other three administrators, Callum Barker, Adam Clegg and Andrew Piper, are all members of the fascist Homeland Party, a neo-Nazi organisation founded by former officials from the now defunct fascist British National Party.
Racist Rants and Violent Misogyny
Jack Golding’s personal Facebook reveals extremist views. In posts from 2011, he writes: “This countrys gettin a fuckin joke why did the let all the dirty muslims in the fucking country kick all the lil pricks out now befor everything gets bombed I think i’m gunna start my own rebellion againt all off them and kick them out myself” [sic]
In a 2011 Facebook exchange, Golding posted: ‘Took my girlfriend out last night.’ When someone responded ‘Really?’, he replied: ‘Yeah, one punch.’ When challenged further about domestic violence, he wrote: ‘…better when you do it some where [sic] no one will see it x’” Another post from the same year says: “just bought a wardrobe from IKEA, the pakistani assistant was bringing it to my car when somebody ran her over. Now that’s what i call fucking flat pak.” [sic]
Concerns in the Local Community
A spokesperson for Epping for Everyone, a community set up in the wake of the initial violence at the Bell Hotel, told us: “Community safety must be grounded in professionalism, inclusion and trust. It cannot be delegated to unregulated actors whose motivations are unclear and whose methods may cause more harm than good.”
Reform MP Endorses Street Patrols
On 11 August, in The Times, Reform’s newest MP, Sarah Pochin, praised what she called “concerned British men for organising private street patrols”. While she did not name any specific group, the rhetoric closely mirrors that of the Essex Spartans and Safeguard Force. The language of protection is being deployed as a political weapon, one that casts all migrants as a threat and positions vigilante groups as moral guardians.
Shock and Orr: Meet the Farage-Supporting ‘Philosopher King’ of British Authoritarianism
The Cambridge professor providing the intellectual underpinning for JD Vance and Nigel Farage, is described by one academic colleague as being ‘more Tommy Robinson than St Thomas Aquinas’
Professionalising Extremism
From Robinson’s premium mentorship to Essex Spartans’ community infiltration, ‘concierge nationalism’ shows up in how extremist groups are professionalising their operations, creating potential revenue streams while embedding radical ideology into everyday services.
The Essex Spartans and Sarah Pochin were contacted for comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.