The cold, dark evenings are here, you’ve got the decorations up behind the bar and your Christmas bookings are filling up fast. It is officially the festive season, and it’s important to ensure that you prioritise the safety of your staff and patrons at your venue.

We've put together some top tips and things to remember to keep your venue safer and more secure this Christmas.

• Review venue policies and risk assessments to ensure they are current, with a focus upon vulnerability and safety. Free templates, including a women’s safety policy, incident and refusal logs and more are available within the Licensing SAVI platform

• Use your policies as the basis for staff briefings and training, encouraging discussion - staff should understand what to look for and the role they play in ensuring safety within the venue

• Check premises licence conditions to ensure plans are compliant, especially when considering using space differently, for example outside areas which have not been used before, and submit Temporary Event Notices where necessary as early as possible

• Review your available resources – if you need the additional support of Security Industry Authority (SIA) registered Door Supervisors or any other staff, plan early, taking into account potentially higher footfall in the lead up to Christmas

• Ensure staff are wearing branded uniforms/badges so customers know who to ask for assistance, and that staff know how to respond to requests for help, especially from vulnerable patrons

• Consider using polycarbonate or similar drinking vessels, decant any bottles to reduce risk of injury or harm, and ask staff to clear rubbish quickly, removing it to secure storage

• Run sensible drinking promotions such as a Designated Driver or Club Soda scheme and have water freely available

• Remind staff about your Challenge 21/25 age-identification schemes to manage underage drinkers, and that it is an offence to serve a drunk person (or on behalf of a drunk person)
  
  
• Encourage staff to be on the look-out for drink spiking, monitor unattended drinks and provide immediate assistance to customers feeling dizzy, disorientated or showing signs of intoxication. Free spiking posters for venues are available on the Licensing SAVI website
  
  
• Display (or ensure staff have available) the phone numbers of reputable taxi companies and/or signpost nearby transport hubs. Consider your dispersal plans for when everyone leaves at the same time
• Check smoke alarms are working and keep decorations clear of exits to allow for escape in an emergency. Ensure staff know their role in emergency procedures
  
  
• The terrorist threat is currently ‘substantial’ which means an attack is ‘likely’. Crowded places are particularly at risk. Managers and staff will need to be vigilant for anything out of the ordinary or that doesn’t feel right, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Call your local police on 101 or in an emergency 999. For further information on action to counter terrorism visit: find out what to look out for and how to keep yourself and others safe or Protect UK
  

Keep these tips in mind to ensure a safer, merrier festive season for you, your staff and your customers.

Further information around premises protection and is available within the Licensing SAVI assessment.