Pubwatch returns to boost city safety
Premises on alert for crimes
Police, Stirling Council and pub and club owners have joined forces to make the city’s venues safer.
The Pubwatch scheme has been relaunched with a meeting last week involving the majority of the city’s pubs and clubs including Fubar, Kilted Kangaroo, City Walls, Molly Malones, Tingle, BrewDog and Wetherspoons.
There have been concerns around nightlife safety following reported incidents of spiking both locally and nationally.
Now all those involved in the Pubwatch scheme will work together to share information in a bid to crack down on crimes or disorder.
Go Forth Stirling and Police Scotland are also funding 12 Pub
Watch radios for city centre pubs and bars allowing owners to share information with each other and link to police officers and city centre CCTV.
The venues will also use the crimefighting SentrySis tool which allows them to report and share alerts of crimes and anti-social behaviour happening in the city.
Meanwhile, Go Forth will be distributing StopTopps – drink protectors designed to deter spiking incidents – for pubs to hand out to customers.
Further safety measures include the presence of taxi marshals, funded by Stirling Council’s Safer Communities team.
Safebase aims to provide a safe environment for anyone visiting the city at night and includes first-aid patrols and an area for people to shelter if they have been stranded due to injury, drink or missed transport.
Stirling Street Pastors will also patrol city centre streets as part of the scheme.
Inspector Liam Harman of Stirling police office said: “Pubwatch will be an excellent addition to the nighttime economy in Stirling. Pubwatch has been a proven success in various towns and cities across Scotland.
“It will provide an additional layer of safety and reassurance to businesses, residents and patrons.
“Forth Valley Police have recently provided funding to Stirling BID, SafeBase and Street Pastors with the overarching aim of keeping people safe. Police officers from Stirling deploy every weekend in the city centre and conduct licensed premises visits and work closely with an array of partners including Stirling Council.”
Go Forth Stirling project director Danielle McRorie-Smith said: “Relaunching Pubwatch is a big step which highlights the efforts all premises are going to to share best practice and work together to combat anti-social behaviour.
“Ensuring everyone has a radio will also improve police/licensee liaison by proving effective two-way communications so everyone can talk to each other and share details of anything relevant which is going on.”