Liverpool BID Company is launching the first of a series of support measures to improve safety for its BID businesses, their customers and visitors during evenings. Tony McDonough reports
Extra security staff are being hired to improve safety for people and businesses in Liverpool’s busiest city centre streets.
Liverpool BID Company is launching the first of a series of support measures to improve safety for its BID businesses, their customers and visitors during evenings.
From next week, the BID has agreed to fund extra security staff to work with and alongside Liverpool City Council’s City Watch team, within the council’s CCTV control room.
Their role will be to monitor the BID areas in and around Bold Street, Church Street, Williamson Square, the Cavern Quarter, Castle Street and Old Hall Street.
They will work closely with security staff at bars, clubs and restaurants to react to issues during the busier night-time periods from Thursday to Saturday.
This service will be available for businesses outside the BID areas at a small cost as well.
Liverpool BID Company has also invested in a new ENTE (evening and night-time economy) Radio Link system (BID already funds a Radio Link for its daytime retail businesses).
This will allow businesses to be linked up and communicate with the BID funded staff at City Watch, enabling camera support when an incident breaks out, allowing the incident to be recorded and the appropriate response provided.
New ENTE security briefing meetings will also be launched in September, allowing businesses to share intelligence and issues related to safety.
Bill Addy, chief executive, Liverpool BID Company, said: “Keeping our streets safe day and night for our businesses and visitors is a top priority of Liverpool BID Company.
“We are always listening to our levy payers, and one of their high concerns is safety, which we feel these new initiatives will address tenfold.