The City of London Corporation is inviting licensed venues in the Square Mile to apply to its Safety Thirst Scheme.
The scheme launched in 2006 but was last run in 2019 due to the pandemic which forced hospitality businesses to close during 2020 and 2021.
It was kept on hold in 2022 and 2023 to enable City businesses to recover from the financial impacts of the pandemic.
This year the scheme has been expanded to cover counter terrorism, suicide prevention, drink spiking, women’s safety and sexual harassment. It runs in partnership with the City Corporation, City of London Police, and the London Fire Brigade.
From mid-March, invitations for accreditation will be sent to bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and events venues within the City. The assessments will be carried out in April, May, and June.
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Once the venue achieves a ‘commended’ or ‘highly commended’ assessment, the management teams will be invited to The Mansion House to attend an awards ceremony in July where they will be presented with a certificate.
The certificate is valid for one calendar year and businesses are encouraged to re-apply each year for accreditation.
The accredited venues are eligible for a 30% discount from the City’s late-night levy. This is applicable to all venues that have permission to sell alcohol between midnight and 6am everyday of the week.
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Licensing Committee, James Tumbridge, said: “My colleagues and I are looking forward to receiving a record number of applications for accreditation for this year’s scheme, which makes a welcome return to the City after a five-year absence caused by the pandemic and its aftermath.
“Not only does Safety Thirst underline the importance that the City Corporation puts on safety in the night-time economy for customers and staff, it is an opportunity for licensed venues to get much-deserved credit for their hard work in helping reduce crime, anti-social behaviour, and excessive noise levels.”
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