Night-Time Safety Charter launched in Liverpool

Night-Time Safety Charter launched in Liverpool

Liverpool is set to introduce a new night-time safety charter on Wednesday, 11 March, aimed at enhancing security for people out and about after dark. This initiative involves a list of safety commitments that establishments such as bars, clubs, and restaurants operating between 6pm and 6am will pledge to follow. By endorsing the charter, these businesses demonstrate their dedication to enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and fostering a safer environment for both their employees and patrons.

The scope of the charter extends beyond nightlife venues, also benefiting staff and customers at shops, gyms and leisure centres, transportation services, hotels, as well as cultural and hospitality locations active during the evening and nighttime hours. Central to the charter is the promotion of the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme, which allows individuals who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened to discreetly request assistance. This service is applicable in various situations, such as during a night out, while exercising at the gym, or even when running quick errands.

Liverpool City Council is collaborating with partners including Merseyside Police and Nightlife CIC to support the implementation of this charter, which offers participating businesses free staff training, guidance on how to assist staff and customers in reporting harassment or inappropriate conduct, and promotional resources to raise awareness. Businesses that sign up to the charter commit to seven key pledges: appointing a champion to lead safety efforts, maintaining clear communication campaigns, supporting their staff in reporting issues, ensuring customers know how to report misconduct, providing training on responding to incidents and recording details confidentially, and regularly auditing their premises to improve safety.

This new safety charter complements the city’s broader commitment to secure and inclusive night-time environments, highlighted by Liverpool’s Purple Flag accreditation—a recognition the city has proudly held for sixteen years. Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Safer Stronger Communities, expressed pride in Liverpool’s status as a safe and welcoming city and emphasized the importance of collaboration with nightlife businesses to ensure people can enjoy nights out or work shifts free from harassment. Officers from Merseyside Police echoed this commitment, with Sergeant Craig Carmichael highlighting ongoing initiatives like Ask for Angela training and operations aimed at protecting vulnerable individuals and tackling violence. Voices from the community, including co-director of Ask for Angela Iwona Kossek and University of Liverpool student Leia-Rose Mills, also underlined the positive impact of the charter on safety and wellbeing across the city’s night-time economy

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