Liverpool is it a city with a reputation for good nightlife and friendly people but does everyone who comes to the city for a night out feel safe? And what measures are actually in place to keep you safe?
Joe Maguire, who works behind a bar in Liverpool stated: “I firmly believe Liverpool is one of the safest nights out anyone can have, the city is full of people from different backgrounds and as a city we have a strong reputation of sticking together and being welcoming to anyone and everyone”.
Liverpool is in fact considered one of the safer major UK cities for nightlife. 60% of people reported feeling safe walking around the city centre after 10pm, according to a survey from the Liverpool BID company. When compared to other major UK cities such as Manchester and Birmingham, people tend to feel more comfortable and safe at night in Liverpool.
Night-time safety perceptions by city (Copyright: Henri-Jay Broadbent)
It is not a coincidence that people tend to feel safer in Liverpool at night compared to other cities. The city has held Purple Flag accreditation for sixteen consecutive years.
Liver building at night (Credit: CC BY-NC 2.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/neilsingapore/11314560145)
Purple Flag accreditation is an internationally recognised measure meaning that a city boasts a diverse, inclusive and safe night time economy.
Mr Maguire stated: “Whilst every city has its own inherent risks when it comes to nightlife, I encounter customers from all over the world and nearly every person emphasises how welcomed they feel by scousers in pubs. It makes me proud to be from here.”
Despite this, many still feel uncomfortable at night in the city, this disproportionally affects women and those in the LGBT+ community.
A survey conducted by Liverpool city council suggested that 75% of people in the LGBT+ community feel at risk of being harassed on a night out.
There are many organisations who are working hard to make the city feel safer and more inclusive at night.
Ask for Clive is an organisation that recognises venues as safe and inclusive for those in the LGBT+ community.
Speaking at the night time economy summit in February this year, Co-founder Clive Duffey stated: “Our sticker is placed at the front door of venues to recognise them as an inclusive hate-free space… it’s about venues creating a culture of safety. As soon as you walk through the door you want to know that the venue is welcoming and the bar staff will know exactly what to do if there’s an incident.”
Women are also at a higher risk of feeling unsafe at night in Liverpool with 71% of women surveyed fearing sexual assault on a night out according to Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner.
However, there have been measures put into place across the city to help tackle this issue. The night-time safety charter, which launched in March this year aims to deliver more training to bar staff in bars and clubs to help prevent harassment.
The night-time safety charter was launched by Liverpool City Council in cooperation with Merseyside Police and offers businesses the chance to pledge to train their staff on issues regarding nighttime safety. Over 125 businesses have signed the charter and it aims to tackle issues such as harassment and have been offered drug-testing kits that help reduce the risk of drug overdoses.
Mr Maguire added: “Improvements to safety can always be made, some venues do enough but some don’t. Many venues use a code word such as ask for Angela, this helps those at risk feel safer. However, I believe staff in venues across the city should be more educated on potential safety issues and warning signs”.
There are also other organisations who aim to improve general safety and order in pubs across the city.
Pubwatch is an organisation that works with local pubs and the police to ban problematic individuals from all pubs associated with the partnership.
Mark Worthington from Pubwatch stated: “Liverpool’s Pubwatch is quite a strong one, each individual watch regularly meets to discuss issues effecting the industry and how we can improve safety standards”.
A busy dancefloor at a night club
(credit: coolitliverpool)
In the modern age, people rely on their phones for safety, whether this is for calling a loved one, directions or ordering a taxi.
Oliver Hunt from Emerga Charge, a company which provides powerbanks to nightclubs, discusses how this can improve night time safety in Liverpool.
“From a safety perspective, if your phone is dead you’re in a risky situation. Clubs here in Liverpool should have a responsibility to protect their customers not only in the venue but beyond that point and ultimately, providing access to phone chargers is part of that.”
Liverpool may be perceived as one of the safer cities to go on a night out in the UK but in every major city safety issues will arise. There are many organisations around the city who are working out ways to tackle harassment and other safety concerns to make nightlife feel safer and more inclusive for everyone involved.