Skip to main content

Licensing SAVI

Three out of four adults are calling for improved safety procedures in bars, pubs and nightclubs following the recent national publicity around the safety of women and girls, according to a YouGov survey.

The same survey showed that across all licensed premises, the support for improved safety in venues is greatest amongst women. In nightclubs, 83% of women want improved safety, in bars and pubs 81% of women want safety improvements and in restaurants, 64% of women want safety improvements.

The YouGov research also found that a police safety award may benefit all the different types of licensed premises to some extent, with 25% of adults reporting being more likely to visit bars and pubs that had received the award.

Police CPI’s Licensing Security & Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI), seeks to improve safety and security in licensed premises. Developed at the request of the Home Office, Licensing SAVI is being supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Project Servator, which seeks to deter terrorist attacks in public places.

Licensing SAVI is self-assessment tool designed to help the owners and operators of licensed premises provide a safe and secure environment for their managers, staff, customers and local communities. It evolved following significant input from UK government security experts and licensing professionals.

Licensing SAVI brings together for the first time the most comprehensive, single source of information that licensees need to meet the requirements of police and council licensing teams, comply with the Licensing Act 2003 and promote the four Licensing Objectives: Prevention of Public Nuisance, Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Protection of Children from Harm and Public Safety.

Licensing SAVI provides definitive information on effective management practices and operational security as well as some practical safety measures, many of which can be introduced quickly and a little or no cost, which some licensed premises may not have considered before.

Licensing SAVI is an online self-assessment, which can be accessed on a laptop, tablet or phone at any time of the day and is the ideal ‘one-stop-shop’ to undertake a venue health check, which could be timely because of the return to work of staff who have been on furlough and the recruitment of new staff to replace those who have left. It provides personalised advice and recommendations, to assist premises to comply with the Licensing Act 2003.

Licensees that complete the self-assessment will receive a Star Rating and can then apply for Licensing SAVI Accreditation and an Award which can be displayed at their premises showing the efforts undertaken to enhance safety and security.

Licensing SAVI is independent from the alcohol drinks industry and is backed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Project Servator, the police-led vigilance scheme to deter terrorist attacks at crowded places.

Appropriate for start-up businesses through to established operators, and single independent premises to large groups of venues, its advice and guidance embraces safety and security inside premises and in garden and other outdoor seating areas during operating hours to security when closed.

Critical issues covered include responsible drinking, drugs misuse, violent behaviour and safeguarding vulnerable customers through to opportunist theft and physical venue security.

It includes procedures such as pre-employment checks, age verification, managing unplanned large queues and customer searches through to ejecting badly behaving customers and dispersal arrangements when everyone leaves at the same time.

Other aspects of security are included too, such as staff branded uniforms and identification badges, CCTV systems and lighting, identification scanning and intruder and hold-up alarms. Raised areas behind bars to increase staff vision are suggested, and how to assist customers to get home, such as displaying taxi contact details or bus and train times, are included too.

There is even a non-assessed guidance section on counter terrorism and a COVID-19 risk assessment template for licensees to use.

For further information contact Mark Morgan