PREVENTING violence towards women and girls is the main focus of police work to support bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants in Worcester.

West Mercia Police is encouraging more premises to join more than 100 others across its force area who have already signed up to the Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (Licensing SAVI).

Licensing SAVI (or LSAVI) is the first-ever National Policing Award for safety and security, and it is a major part of the forces’ prevention strategy to tackle all types of crime, with a focus on preventing violence against women and girls.

It encourages venues to test and improve their operational security and management practices using an online self-assessment, which, for the first time, contains all the information that licensed premises need to meet police and council statutory requirements for safety and security.

Upon submitting their assessment, a venue will be awarded a Licensing SAVI star-rating to display the efforts they have taken to improve safety and security.

Superintendent Edward Hancox, Head of Prevention at West Mercia Police, said: “We’re really encouraged by the more than 100 premises who have already signed up the Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative.

“Licensing SAVI aims to help bars, clubs and restaurants across our towns and city centres do everything they can to make their venue safer. 

“We want everyone to feel and be safer on a night out and will continue to work with partners and premises to help us achieve this.

“Funding is available through our Safer Streets fund to enable more venues to sign up to Licensing SAVI and they can do so by getting in touch with their Licensing Officer who can explain how to go about it.”

There are a range of free resources available for licensed premises in the Licensing SAVI Resource Hub.