Safety fears as nightlife partnership axed

Concerns have been raised about the end of a partnership which businesses say helped Bristol's night-time economy thrive and staff and customers stay safe.

Bristol Nights has run several campaigns which saw more than 700 workers trained in safeguarding and 260 anti-spiking testing kits provided to venues.

About 100 businesses have signed an open letter urging Bristol City Council to reverse its decision to terminate the partnership.

Council leader Tony Dyer said funding for the project - which included a night-time economy adviser role - would run out at the end of March. He added the council would explore how it could continue to work with businesses in the sector.

But a number of well-known Bristol venues - including Lakota, O2 Academy Bristol, Watershed and Bristol Old Vic - urged the council to reverse its decision.

They said they were concerned and shocked by what they described as the council's attempt to "quietly close down" the partnership without their involvement in the process.

Thekla, a music venue based on a boat moored on Bristol's harbourside, was one of the businesses which signed the letter.

Its assistant promotions manager Harrison Baillie said staff had received safeguarding training and an understanding of issues related to women's safety and spiking through the partnership.

In 2022, Bristol Nights was given an award for its Women's Safety Charter, which promotes a zero-tolerance approach to harassment in music and night-time venues.

Speaking about the end of the partnership, Baillie said: "I absolutely can see it affecting the safety of people because if we lose access to these things going forward, then who's to say what can happen."

He added he feared night-time economy adviser Carly Heath being made redundant would see venues lose a direct line of communication with the council.

"We at Thekla directly called for the appointment of a night-time economy adviser in 2017 when the developments on Redcliffe Wharf threatened our existence", he said.

"There's been similar situations recently where we've had to use that direct line with the council in order to get our feelings heard, and if we lose that we won't be as safe," he added.

In response, council leader Tony Dyer said the main purpose of Bristol Nights had been to raise the profile of the night-time industry, but that it had "broadened to focus on harm reduction and preventing violence".

"The initial tranche of funding for this work expired in 2023.

"Since then, it was decided to continue the work programme until it had achieved many of its outcomes, with Public Health providing one-off funding, which concludes at the end of March 2026," he continued.

Dyer added the council recognised the pressures being faced by the sector and the challenges of keeping it "safe and resilient" - and said it would listen and work collaboratively to help "where help can be given".

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