Up to 50% of adults would be 'more likely' to visit a bar or pub that achieved a police award for safety

The research found that 35% of adults say they would be more likely to visit a nightclub – and more than one in four adults would be more likely to visit a pub, bar, stadium, arena, and hotel and guest house if they had been bestowed with such an accolade.

The survey of a total of 5,050 adults in England, carried out between 16 August – 5 September, also included restaurants, theatres and sports and social clubs.

It was commissioned by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI), a police-owned organisation, which works alongside the Police Service to deter and reduce crime.

One of Police CPI’s latest initiatives is Licensing Security & Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI), which seeks to improve safety and security in licensed premises and provide a police-endorsed Star-Rating Award for display at venues.

Generally, the largest supporters for safety awards across different licensed venues are women and individuals from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) social groups.

For example, 38% of women say they would be more likely to visit nightclubs that have a safety award compared to 32% of men. There was also a ten percentage point difference in favour of women over men wanting a safety award in stadiums and arenas and sports and social clubs.

However, the single largest call for safety awards came from BAME individuals who recorded the highest figures – up to 41% for nightclubs – for a safety award across all licensed premises, except stadiums and arenas where LGBT groups recorded the highest figure at 39%, with BAME second at 38% and women 35% – compared to 25% for men.

Respondents were also asked about a police safety award. The first such award of its kind – Licensing SAVI – produced by Police CPI has been largely presented to Police Forces and Local Authorities to date and is only due to be officially launched via social media to groups of venues in targeted areas next month (October) as part of a phased roll out.

Despite Licensing SAVI having little market awareness amongst venues and customers at the time of the survey, up to 33% of adults say they would ‘strongly or somewhat agree’ to visit a licensed premises if it achieved a ‘Police Safety Award’.

Once again, generally the strongest support for a police safety award was from women, LGBT and BAME groupings with 39% of BAME individuals saying they would be more likely to visit stadiums and arenas that have a police safety award.

The survey found that a police safety award is likely to benefit all the different types of licensed premises included in the survey to some extent. For example, up to 50% of adults say they would be more likely to visit a bar or pub that had received a police award – and 42% more likely to visit a nightclub and 38% a stadium or arena.

Mark Morgan, Business Manager for Licensing SAVI, and a former Merseyside Police Superintendent, said: “I believe the survey results show that there is huge demand from customers to want venues to achieve a safety award, including our police safety award.

“About one third of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed when asked about a safety award or a police safety award. I believe that shows that there is a huge potential for us to raise awareness of the importance of a police safety award and to persuade venues and customers, who are as yet largely unaware of our police award, to be in favour of it across all licensed premises.”

Mark explained: “Our police award will enable venues to show how much effort they have put in to enhance safety and security for the benefit of customers and staff at premises. Importantly, they can use it to promote their business as a safe and secure venue to attract new customers, grow customer loyalty and build support from their local communities.”

Licensing SAVI was developed at the request of the Home Office by Police CPI and evolved following significant input from UK government security experts and licensing professionals.

It is backed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which brings Police Forces together to help policing coordinate operations, reform, improve and provide value for money, and Project Servator, a police-led vigilance scheme to deter terrorist attacks at crowded places.

Licensing SAVI brings together for the first time the most comprehensive, single source of information that licensees need to meet the requirements of police and council licensing teams, comply with the Licensing Act 2003 and promote the four Licensing Objectives: Prevention of Public Nuisance, Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Protection of Children from Harm and Public Safety.

It provides definitive information on effective management practices and operational security as well as some straightforward safety measures, many of which can be introduced quickly and at little or no cost, which some licensed premises may not have considered before.

For an annual licence fee of £100, Licensing SAVI is available as an online self-assessment, which can be accessed on a laptop, tablet or phone at any time of the day.

Licensees that complete the self-assessment will receive a Star-Rating and can then apply for Licensing SAVI Accreditation and an Award which can be displayed at their premises showing the efforts undertaken to enhance safety and security. Licensees can use their Star-Rating as a benchmark to further improve their safety and security and achieve a higher Star-Rating Award year-on-year to grow their business.

Being constantly updated to include the latest licensing legislation, changing patterns of criminal behaviour and industry best practices, it can become a key process in the running of a venue whether it’s a start-up business, established operator, single independent business or part of a large chain of venues. It can be used as a ‘one-stop-shop’ to undertake a venue health check, which could be timely because of the return to work of staff who have been on furlough and the recruitment of new staff to replace those who have left.

Critical issues covered include responsible drinking, drugs misuse, violent behaviour and safeguarding vulnerable customers through to opportunist theft and physical venue security.

It includes procedures such as pre-employment checks, age verification, managing unplanned large queues and customer searches through to ejecting badly behaving customers and dispersal arrangements when everyone leaves at the same time.

Other aspects of security are included too, such as staff branded uniforms and identification badges, CCTV systems and lighting, identification scanning and intruder and hold-up alarms. Raised areas behind bars to increase staff vision are suggested, and how to assist customers to get home, such as displaying taxi contact details or bus and train times, are included too.

There is even a non-assessed guidance section on counter terrorism and a COVID-19 risk assessment template for licensees to use.

Contact Licensing SAVI
Email:
Web: https://licensingsavi.com

About Police CPI
Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI) is a police-owned, not-for-profit organisation which delivers a wide range of innovative and ground-breaking crime prevention and demand reduction initiatives to support the UK Police Service, Government and the public. Senior police officers control and direct the work Police CPI carries out on behalf of the Police Service.
Visit: https://www.policecpi.com