Christmas Safety Collaboration

ROCHFORD District Council, in collaboration with Rayleigh PubWatch, are raising awareness of the actions taken over the last year to support the safety of residents enjoying a night out in the town and what help is available to them if they need it over the Christmas season and throughout the year.

 Following recent online and national reports of drink spiking, which involves adding substances—whether alcohol or drugs—to a drink without the recipient’s knowledge. A spokesperson added: “We understand the reports are worrying and would like to reassure residents that drink covers are available, free of charge at all Rayleigh PubWatch venues.”

 Coun Lisa Newport, Chair of Communities, Wellbeing & Housing Committee at Rochford District Council, said: “We have a vibrant and busy nightlife in Rayleigh.

 “All year round we work closely with Rayleigh PubWatch, venues, police, and other partners to introduce initiatives to support community safety and ensure everyone feels safe on a night out and knows what support is available.

 “We know there are concerns about drink spiking and we encourage people to ask for the free drink covers in PubWatch venues and urge anyone who suspects an incident to report it immediately to the venue and Essex Police – so action can be taken.

 “Our collective goal is to continue to ensure Rayleigh is a safe and welcoming place where people can enjoy a night out with friends or family.”

 In the last 12 months, Rayleigh PubWatch venues have introduced several proactive initiatives, with the help of Rochford District Council, to ensure a safer nightlife experience:

 Drink covers are available free of charge at all Pubwatch venues. Simply ask bar staff for a cover to secure your glass or bottle.

 The TownLink radio system enables venues to instantly contact Rochford District Council’s 24/7 CCTV team and share alerts about anti-social behaviour.

 The alert system to ensure all venues are aware of any individuals causing problems in other venues – including photograph sharing.

 Bleed kits and defibrillator devices are in licensed premises to address emergencies swiftly and effectively.

 The Council also installed CCTV in the High Street that is monitored 24/7 and on Friday and Saturday nights in December, there are Taxi Marshals from 11pm-4am to ease the flow of people as they head home.

 Licensed venues have a legal duty to ensure public safety and prevent crime and disorder, with oversight from Rochford District Council. Staff at these venues are trained to handle incidents such as drink spiking and ensure appropriate security measures are in place.

 Should an incident happen, the pubwatch venues collectively review the incident and discuss how they can learn from it to ensure that every possible step is taken to ensure the customers are kept safe.

 Tony Lord, Chairperson of Rayleigh Pub Watch and Manager of the Pink Toothbrush added: “Our members are committed to maintaining a safe and enjoyable environment for all our patrons.

 “Through training, sharing experiences, resources, and communication, we are ensuring venues across Rayleigh are equipped to prevent incidents and respond effectively when needed. Drink stoppers are a simple yet effective way to deter spiking, and we encourage everyone to make use of them.

 “We also want to send out a clear message to anyone wishing to spike anyone’s drinks in our venues, it will not be tolerated, not only will the police conduct their own investigation, but they will be barred for a minimum of two years from all the pubwatch venues in the town.

 “Look out for the pubwatch logo in the windows of the participating venues.”

 For more advice and resources regarding drink spiking, visit Essex Police’s website

Read  more.

Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news

Contact us. Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news

Twitter: @leighonsea_news