Durham’s South College bar has become the first university bar in the country to achieve the 5* Licensing SAVI (Security and Vulnerability Initiative) accreditation. Safety is a top priority at Durham and the Licensing SAVI accreditation, gives an extra layer of reassurance, helping students to feel safe in college bars.
Three out of four adults are calling for improved safety procedures in bars, pubs and nightclubs following the national publicity around the safety of women and girls, according to a YouGov survey. A total of 76% of adults aged 18-45 agree with the statement that ‘the recent publicity around the safety of women and girls has made it more important for licensed premises to improve their safety procedures’ in bars and pubs.
Licensing SAVI helps the owners and operators of licensed premises provide a safe and secure environment for their managers, staff, customers and local communities. It brings together information from official sources including Police, Licensing Authorities and the Fire and Rescue Services.
Amy Shuttleworth, JCR Vice-President at South College said, “Going through the accreditation process has improved the way our bar runs and is making our students feel safe in their College space. We hope that other venues across the University and Durham City also go for the Licensing SAVI accreditation and make Durham a safer place for everyone.”
Leading the way for Durham and the university sector, South College gave feedback on their application and helped to shape the process for future university bars applying. The news has also inspired other college bars to apply for the accreditation with four more Durham bars now signed up.
The accreditation process is a simple way for venues to review and improve on their safety procedures with templates for relevant documentation and resources available to promote the scheme to customers. The star-rated award scheme shows the public that you run a safe and secure premises.
Find out more
Student safety at Durham
Licensing SAVI
South College
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