We are supporting a nationwide initiative to make restaurants, bars and pubs even safer for our communities in Lincoln.

The Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI) was launched in 2021 and has registered licensed venues in more than 110 towns and cities across the country.

The scheme aims to make venues safer for our local communities.

Members of the public will be able to view stickers in accredited venues and licenced premises including restaurants, bars, pubs and theatres, which display the steps they have taken to make them a safer socialising space for customers and staff.

The partnership with venues provides even further reassurance for those socialising in venues across the city they will be kept safer, especially in the evenings.

In Lincoln, there are now 21 premises with 4.5 and 5-star accreditations and plans are underway to launch Licensing SAVI in other parts of the county.

How does it work

Venues can sign up online to begin their self-assessment.

A series of questions, template policies, advice and guidance provided by Licensing SAVI are provided and designed to help licensed venue owners meet the requirements of the Responsible Authorities. Currently, the scheme is only available to those businesses that have a licence to sell alcohol on the premises.

Applying for a licence means the police, alongside a mixture of central and local government departments are called on to verify, review and make representations of every application.

Venues and businesses that have completed the self-assessment will be provided a bespoke and confidential report which identifies strengths and areas for improvement. Once improvements are made, venues can then apply for accreditation where they will receive a star rating out of five, with five being the highest rating awarded. The stars represent a venue’s commitment to keeping their customers, staff and the general public safe.

Venues that have been accredited will receive a certificate and stickers containing the accreditation they have been awarded, which they can display to show the steps they have taken to make their venues a safer socialising space for both customers and staff.

Accredited venues will also appear during a search on Licensing SAVI’s “Find a venue map”, making it easier for the public to search for them.

To date, the scheme in Lincoln has been wholly funded by Lincoln BIG which means businesses will only have to pay a nominal fee of £4.50.

Sergeant Amy Adams from the Alcohol Licensing Team said: “With Lincoln now having 21 premises gaining 4.5 and 5-star accreditations with Licensing SAVI, it seems an appropriate time to recognise the hard work that licenced premises do to ensure the safety of customers, particularly in the night-time economy.

“The majority of premises involved have utilised the resources and advice provided by Licensing SAVI to strengthen their own in-house policies and procedures which has led to improved training for staff and a safer environment for customers. Working closely with Lincoln BIG and the Licensing SAVI team, we continue to improve working relationships between police and licensees to ensure we work towards achieving the common goal of safety in licenced premises.

“In time, we hope that recognition of the Licensing SAVI scheme will help give the public more confidence in the safety of the premises they visit and frequent. We also hope that as the number of Licensing SAVI accredited venues increase, that customers will begin to see a much more consistent approach in terms of the service and the support they receive and that it will help us to deter criminality in Lincoln and other areas of the county once the scheme is rolled out further afield.”

Chief Inspector Gareth Boxall added: “This is one of the ways we want to work with venues to reduce crime, violence and anti-social behaviour in the evening and night-time economy and make the city and town centres feel safe for all.

“The role of keeping Lincoln a safe place for people cannot be done solely by statutory agencies like the police or the council – everyone has a part to play.”

Ian Shuttleworth, LSAVI Development Officer, said: “Partnership working, has to be the key, to a safer evening and nighttime economy and thankfully, gone are the days of all the problems being blamed solely upon licenced premises themselves. We have been working in partnership with Lincoln BIG, who have kindly funded the scheme in Lincoln to date, as well as Lincolnshire Police’s Licensing Team, who offer help and support to venues and act as verifiers to ensure the accuracy of any applications.

“We have also worked with some fantastic, licensed premises across Lincoln who have shown a great commitment to making their venues a safer space for socialising. We are equally excited to be bringing Licensing SAVI to more towns across Lincolnshire, with a few venues already having been accredited in Skegness and a launch planned in Grantham for early 2025.

“We are looking forward to seeing more of our stickers appearing in venues across Lincolnshire, as a sign that those venues have taken steps to ensure they are a safer place for their staff and customers and an increased feeling and perception of safety for all.”

Marion Cooney, Hospitality Manager at Lincoln BIG, said: “At Lincoln BIG, we are proud to support and fund Licensing SAVI to our businesses in the Lincoln BIG area, working in partnership with Lincolnshire Police to create a safer, more vibrant nighttime economy. The Licensing SAVI accreditation not only highlights the commitment of our venues to safety but also offers a trusted mark for the public, recognizing the dedication of these businesses to make our city a secure and enjoyable place to visit.

“With 21 venues now accredited and more joining each month, our goal is to have Lincoln recognized nationally for our commitment to safety and excellence. Together, we’re setting a high standard and inviting others to join us in promoting Lincoln as a safe and welcoming destination for all.”

Venues who are interested in the scheme can find out more by visiting the Licensing SAVI website.