BII, the professional body for the licensed retail sector, is to host its second Responsible Alcohol Retailing Week in Liverpool starting on November 12.
Supported by the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Business Crime Direct Team, the event aims to raise the profile of the licensed retail sector, its positive impact and also to emphasise the work of responsible alcohol retailers.
It will highlight the success of partnership working and social responsibility in Liverpool’s very busy night time economy. It will also mark two years since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 and almost six months since the introduction of the smoking ban in England; two pieces of legislation that had a dramatic effect on the licensing trade.
The main event on November 13 will be an evening tour of key central parts of Liverpool covering the main drinking areas, seeing examples of responsible alcohol retailing. In each venue, the licensee will show how they operate in a responsible manner and as the tour walks from each venue guests will see key external signs of partnership working such as CCTV, Pub Watch and Best Bar None signage.
BII has 17,000 members, across the country many of whom are frontline licensees. The event will attract guests ranging from MPs, councillors, police and local authority representatives, media and trade leaders. It is intended to show the impact of social responsibility and partnership working in the area.
John McNamara, BII Chief Executive, said: “BII decided to choose Liverpool for this year’s event for a number of reasons. The city is changing its face with a billion pound investment in regeneration and is to be the Capital of Culture in 2008. Liverpool as a location for the event will give many of the guests a new experience.
He added: “The evening economy is a mix of outlets and customers from, locals, students, trendsetters and hen and stag parties. There is a high density of people drinking in the city centre and this is managed well. It is an evolving drinking culture that is controlled in a peaceful manner. The city has been very proactive in managing the night time economy with CCTV, help points and temporary toilets. Our event will be an opportunity to showcase responsible outlets and the wider night time economy.”
Peter Jones is head of Business Crime Direct at Liverpool Chamber and is a member of the Citysafe City Centre Joint Agency Group, together with the police, council, Business Improvement District and other partners.
He said: “Three years ago we set up the Joint Agency Group with Capital of Culture Year in mind. We have made the partnership as wide and as deep as we can. Every organisation that can influence community safety and the experience of visitors has been brought into the partnership. From the cathedrals, to the universities, the hospital, the arena, the retail, hotel, car park and commercial sector, each organisation has its own intelligence led crime reduction strategy.
“We have all worked particularly hard with the evening and night time economy. We have the pub watch banning troublesome individuals and retailing responsibly, we have the Best Bar None customer care quality award, polycarbonate glass to reduce injuries, metal detectors to seek out concealed weapons. Within weeks we will have a taxi marshalling scheme, we are subsidising good quality CCTV in taxis and in licenced premises. We have achieved a 10 year low in crime in the city centre and can assure visitors and regular users of the city that we are working flat out to ensure that they can come to the city centre and enjoy themselves in safety.”
