Bars and clubs offered 'safe place' training

Bar, pub and nightclub staff in Guernsey are being encouraged to sign up to training designed to make their venues safer.

Guernsey Police said 17 venues had already registered for the Safe Place Project with just over a week to go before registration closes.

The island's venues will become the first outside the UK to get the certification, with staff trained in recognising, preventing and responding to unacceptable behaviour.

Poppy Murray, chair of charity SafetyNet which is helping to fund the project, said it was a "landmark moment" and would help Guernsey become a destination seen to care about "the safety of tourists and visitors on nights out".

Ms Murray said the course would cover topics including spiking, sexual violence and other unacceptable behaviours as well as how to be an effective ally.

"We hope certified venues will see increased footfall and event bookings as a result of their commitment to enhancing safety," she said.

Deputy Chief Officer Phil Breban said the initiative had the "full support" of the force and police officers would take part in the training.

He said creating safe places was part of the national policing strategy to tackle violence against women and girls has been to create safe places.

He urged the "small number of premises" that had not signed up to the free training to take part so they could support their customers and staff.

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