City Safe is an exciting concept which aims to reduce alcohol-related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, both inside licensed premises and in public spaces. City Safe has worked closely with the Government since its inception and has become the blueprint for many similar initiatives around the UK and beyond.

City Safe has four main aims:

To reduce the number of alcohol-related assaults and injuries.

To work in partnership with the licensed trade to improve the management of licensed premises.

To promote the provision of safe drinking.

To reduce perceptions of drunkenness, rowdiness and disorder in the night-time economy.

It is led by Greater Manchester Police and works with a wide variety of partners on many initiatives designed to make the night-time economy safer. The project began in Manchester city centre at the end of 2000 and has proved so successful that it now works throughout the city of Manchester. As a result of its widening remit the name of the project was changed from City Centre Safe to City Safe in 2005. In Manchester city centre, serious assaults have been reduced whilst the city centre population and the numbers of people using the night-time economy continues to grow.

Projects introduced by City Safe in conjunction with its many partners include:

An alcohol bye-law which prohibits the drinking of alcohol in public areas and gives the Police the power to seize bottles and glasses from those found drinking in the street. This new style bye-law was developed and piloted in Manchester and formed the blueprint for national legislation. Helping to Make Night Time in Manchester Safer.

A ‘Taxi Safe’ initiative which is designed to increase the number of taxis using Manchester city centre, to make night-time taxi ranks safer to use, and to improve safety for customers whilst targeting dangerous and illegal vehicles. A ‘Take a Taxi You Can Trust’ marketing campaign accompanies this initiative. Helping to Make Night Time in Manchester Safer.

A ‘Night Bus’ scheme: City Safe is a key partner in this scheme which has been operating to and from Manchester city centre since November 2001. This service, provided in conjunction with four bus companies and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, runs until 4am on Friday and Saturday nights. Night Bus offers protected night-time bus-stops, comfortable buses equipped with CCTV and many other crime prevention and safety features. Helping to Make Night Time in Manchester Safer.

City Safe incorporates a skilled licensing enforcement team which carries out regular structured visits to licensed premises throughout Manchester. During these visits all aspects of the venue’s management practices will be checked. City Safe police officers are often accompanied on these visits by colleagues from other agencies such as the local Environmental Health Department. Helping to Make Licensed Premises Safer.

Whilst all licensed premises are checked on a regular basis, priority is given to those who show the highest levels of crime and disorder. Crime levels are monitored and measured by the ‘Top Ten’ initiative which analyses and investigates all crime occuring in Manchester’s pubs and produces a quarterly ‘league table’ of the highest crime venues. These are then prioritised for follow-up enforcement activity, whilst being offered specialist support and advice to make their premises safer. Helping to Make Licensed Premises Safer.

The Best Bar None Award Scheme was created and developed by City Safe in conjunction with the UK drinks industry. This groundbreaking scheme offers accreditation to those licensed premises who can prove they operate to a high standard of safety and customer care. The first awards were held in Manchester in March 2003, and since then the scheme has grown rapidly to encompass a large number of towns and cities across the UK.

The key elements of Best Bar None are:

Promotion of responsible licensed trade management.

Promotion of socially responsible drinking.

Commitment to caring for, and protecting, customers.

Commitment to reducing the potential for disorder in town centres and public places arising from alcohol abuse.

Distinctive plaques are displayed outside all the accredited premises across the country. Look for the Best Bar None sign as an indicator of a venue which is working harder to give you a safer night out. Helping to Make Licensed Premises Safer. www.bestbarnone.com

Club Safe is an initiative co-ordinated and run by City Safe in partnership with Manchester City Council’s Drug and Alcohol Strategy Team (DAST) to deal with issues that are perculiar to night clubs. The scheme was borne out of the Home Office ‘Safer Clubbing Guide’ which was published in 2003.

Manchester night club operators who join the Club Safe scheme sign up to a protocol of operation which they agree to abide to. This includes issues such as the searching of customers, the seizing and storing of drugs, training in first aid for staff, the provision of free drinking water, temperature control and other safe management practices. Helping to Make Licensed Premises Safer.

All City Safe initiatives are supported by a high profile, internationally acclaimed, advertising and marketing campaign. Under the ‘Think Safe Drink Safe’ logo, the project attempts to attack the culture of binge-drinking and provides helpful advice and safety messages to late-night drinkers. The campaign has utilised a wide variety of methods, including adverts on local radio stations, to get the safe-drinking message across. Getting the Message Across.

Other aspects of City Safe include the introduction of safety glass in pubs and clubs, secure bottle bins, the ‘18? Prove it’ campaign aimed at under age drinkers and close ties with the NHS to impact upon public health. Helping People to Drink Responsibly.