Colmore Business District venues demonstrate commitment to safety with Licensing SAVI
19 December 2022
Birmingham’s Colmore Business District has supported five venues in the District to achieve 5-star National Police Safety Awards from Licensing SAVI.
A police-backed safety and security award, it demonstrates the commitment from The Square Peg, Primitivo Bar and Eatery, Fazenda, Purecraft Bar & Kitchen and The Old Joint Stock to the safety of its customers.
The Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI) encourages venues to improve their operational security and management practices year on year using an online self-assessment, containing all the information that venues need to meet police and council statutory requirements for safety and security.
Numerous forward-thinking Birmingham venues have already signed up, and with the 5-star awarded to The Square Peg, Primitivo Bar and Eatery, Fazenda, Purecraft Bar & Kitchen and The Old Joint Stock – further venues in the District are expected to join.
Colmore Business District is a business improvement district (BID) established to support and deliver services to organisations in the business quarter of Birmingham. This includes a dedicated working group, Safe & Sound, which is committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for businesses and customers in the area.
As part of this project, they have worked closely with venues in the District to join the accredited Licensing SAVI scheme.
Kate Bailey, Colmore BID Board Director and lead of the Safe and Sound Working Group said: “I’m absolutely delighted that The Square Peg, Primitivo Bar and Eatery, Fazenda, Purecraft Bar & Kitchen and The Old Joint Stock have all been awarded a 5-star National Police Safety Award from the Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative scheme. It’s testament to their commitment to provide a welcoming, safe, and enjoyable venue experience for their customers across Colmore Business District.”
Licensing SAVI goes a long way to help venues meet the four Licensing Objectives: Prevention of Public Nuisance, Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Protection of Children from Harm, and Public Safety. Five of the Colmore BID-located venues received 5 stars for their implementation of safety and security procedures and policies, showing their dedication to staff and customer wellbeing.
The Square Peg, a Wetherspoons pub situated on Corporation Street, was the first to achieve the award through the work of Colmore BID. Natalie Lannas, Duty Manager, said: “It’s nice to be recognised for such a privileged award and we are proud to be a part of this new scheme. It’s great news for the pub to be the first one within Colmore Business District to be awarded 5 stars.”
A further 5-star venue, Primitivo Bar and Eatery is a bar and restaurant located on Barwick Street. Manager Prit Sagoo said: “At Primitivo, we pride ourselves on always delivering an enjoyable and safe visiting experience for our customers. We are so pleased that our continual efforts to maintain high levels of security and safety are acknowledged in our 5-star rating.”
Pawel Marczak, General Manager at Fazenda, a traditional rodizio restaurant, added: “Working in hospitality allows us to develop both personally and professionally. It’s all about diversity and opportunity. It’s about being supportive, inclusive, and safe. Hospitality is a very broad industry; however, we all live and breathe to make our guests’ experience special.
“Nevertheless, the safety of our guests and staff is also among our core values. Therefore, being a part of the Licensing SAVI community developed by PCPI and achieving 5-star accreditation means a lot to us. Thanks to their support, we were able to ensure we do our best to provide the safest possible environment for all the guests we welcome daily.”
Licensing SAVI was developed at the request of the Home Office by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI), a not-for-profit police organisation, which works alongside the Police Service throughout the UK to prevent and reduce crime.
The self-assessment covers effective management practices and operational security, including critical issues like responsible drinking, drugs misuse, violent behaviour and safeguarding vulnerable customers as well as preventing opportunist theft and improving physical security, such as emergency exits, lighting, and CCTV systems.
In addition, it offers advice and guidance, and contains a number of safety policy templates for venues to adapt for their own use. Most measures included in Licensing SAVI can be introduced quickly and at little or no cost.
As well as providing safer and more secure venues, Licensing SAVI also seeks to reduce the demand on Police Forces, NHS Ambulance Services and Accident & Emergency Departments. Licensing SAVI is supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Project Servator, a police anti-terrorism initiative.
YouGov research commissioned by Police CPI of 5,050 adults aged 18-45 and published in 2021 found that:
- 79% of adults think it is important to improve safety in nightclubs
- 76% of adults think it is important to improve safety in bars and pubs
- Of these, support was greatest among women with 83% wanting improved safety in nightclubs and 81% in bars and pubs
- 25% of adults would be more likely to visit a bar/pub more if it had a Police Safety Award.
Licensing SAVI Business Manager Mark Morgan commented: “We at Licensing SAVI are delighted to have registered venues, supported by the Colmore BID in Birmingham, now becoming accredited, each achieving a full 5-star award. Our assessment is comprehensive, covering numerous aspects of safety, security, and vulnerability, so it is great to see these venues embrace the initiative. It is also timely, as we want all Christmas revellers to see the awards and recognise the efforts undertaken by the venues, showing they are doing all they can to ensure a welcoming and safer socialising experience in the Colmore BID area.”
For more information about Safer Colmore visit: https://colmorebusinessdistrict.com/safercolmore
