One trade body has labelled it a “critical milestone” in the ongoing fight to tackle such issues within the night-time economy as another said it supports new ways to halt attacks.
Police chiefs, industry experts including the hospitality sector, police chiefs and transport bosses are meeting on Monday 25 November to thrash out the details.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to halve violence against women and girls as a personal commitment.
Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) CEO Michael Kill said: “The Prime Minister’s decisive action today marks a critical milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the pervasive issue of spiking and ensure the safety of women and girls within the night-time economy and beyond.
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to making spiking a specific criminal offence, something we have advocated for alongside others since the Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry in 2022.
“This will send a strong message to offenders while empowering victims to come forward with confidence with the justice system’s support.”
A British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) spokesperson said: “Our sector is already working to help prevent this awful crime, and both we and our members support new ways to stamp out these attacks, support victims, and collect robust evidence.
“Although spiking does not solely occur in the hospitality sector, we are steadfast in our endeavours to prevent it. We will continue to engage with Government and partners on the best way to deliver new initiatives in order to keep customers as safe as possible.”
Training programme rollout
Meanwhile, UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said: “Our pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants are where Brits go to enjoy themselves and our priority is to ensure everyone can do that safely.
“I’m pleased that we’re able to support the Home Office in its plans to roll out a nationwide training programme as part of these efforts, to help ensure all staff know how to prevent spiking and have the skills to act if they suspect someone has been spiked.
“This is all part of hospitality’s unwavering commitment to keeping customers safe and ensuring our teams have the knowledge and skills they need.”
NTIA chief Kill added training will be the cornerstone of the broader UK strategy against spiking and by equipping thousands of staff across bars, clubs and venues with the skills to identify, prevent and respond to spiking incidents, there will be enhanced safeguarding measures within the licensed sector.
He added: “While we have worked extremely hard to enhance our ability to manage spaces such as pubs, bars and clubs, it is essential to recognise that the issue of spiking extends beyond the hospitality and night-time economy.
“Domestic settings, including house parties and halls of residence, also present significant risks and require as much focus and preventative action as our licensed venues.
“This is a societal issue, and success requires a collective approach. Policing, transport authorities, night-time economy and hospitality businesses, universities, community stakeholders and Government agencies must work together to eradicate spiking and other crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that the UK’s night-time economy is not just vibrant and welcoming but also a safe and secure environment for everyone.
“Together, with coordinated action and shared responsibility, we can drive real change and create a society where safety is guaranteed, whether in a licensed venue or a domestic setting.”
Anti-social behaviour
Kill also weighed in on the Government plan to introduce new powers in policing in the form of the Respect Orders, which are designed to clampdown on repeat offenders of anti-social behaviour.
He said: “While we welcome any initiative that helps create safer environments and reduces anti-social behaviour, particularly in our town centres at night, we must acknowledge a crucial challenge: enforcement.
“The introduction of new powers, like Respect Orders, seems to be an opportunity to start to tackle some of the inherent issues. However, the real question is whether there are sufficient resources, particularly police officers, to ensure these measures are effectively implemented.”
He added many businesses across the country, especially in the night-time economy, are already stepping up by funding private security to fill the void left by the shortage of police and added “we simply don’t have enough police on the ground to address these issues at the scale we need”.
He concluded: “The focus must be on ensuring that these powers are backed by the resource to make them meaningful. Without enough police on the beat, there’s a risk that even the best-intentioned laws could struggle to make an impact.”