Restaurants, bars and pubs in Coventry city centre are introducing a range of anti-spiking measures as Christmas party season gets underway.
Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) is working with venues across the city on a campaign which targets the spiking of drinks.
Christmas party season will see thousands of people head into the city centre every night throughout December to celebrate with colleagues, friends and family.
Coventry BID has purchased thousands of items to give out to venues in the city, which will then be available free of charge to people visiting for drinks, food or a dance.
It has invested in enough items to cover every levy-paying business in the city centre, with 20,000 DrinkSafe anti-spiking covers, 17,500 bottle toppers and 1,000 DrinkSafe testing strips to allow venue to spot-check if a drink has been spiked.
The items have been handed out to 27 venues in the city centre.
The covers can be placed over the top of a drink, with a straw piercing the lid, while the testing strips can quickly identify if a drink has been spiked – which will allow medical teams to act correctly and efficiently if necessary.
It builds on Coventry BID’s work to roll out programmes in the city to increase safety across the night-time economy.
This has included working with Coventry City Council to increase the roll-out of the Best Bar None accreditation programme, which awards and recognises excellence at alcohol-licensed premises, leading to a safer and improved experience for customers,
The BID has also introduced an ‘Ask For Angela’ scheme – a way for anyone who feels vulnerable in a bar or venue to discreetly ask for help from staff.
