Several bars and clubs across Leeds have spoken out about the recent outcries for more support and preventative measures for drink spiking across the UK.
Over the past few weeks, a staggering number of women have spoken out about their experience of being injected or having their drinks spiked on a night out.
Bars and clubs recognise that nobody should feel unsafe on a night out and many, including the likes of Pryzm, Mint and Hi-Fi have addressed their clientele to share their new security procedures, which they hope will help to combat drink spiking in their venues.
The response comes after the organisation of Girls Night In, an event being held this Wednesday to make a stand against drink spiking and violence, particularly towards women. The boycott of bars and clubs for one night hopes to address clubs and bars on a national level to reform their security process, including bags searches to prevent needles or drink.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVSyoudohmJ/
Przym Leeds
Club venue Pryzm, which has a chain of nightclubs across the UK, were one of the first hospitality businesses to address drink spiking and have listed a range of ways that they are working with the public to tackle this problem.
Fully training staff on drink spiking, actively implementing the 'Ask Angela' scheme and use of extensive CCTV footage are just some of the measures in place.
The chain also stated that they will be providing 'anti-spiking bottle stoppers and protective drink covers' upon request once they are back in stock. Customers that wish to use one in their drink should ask at the bar when ordering.
Use of a phone and phone chargers are also available upon request. Przym state that they are happy to call a friend, family member or a taxi for their customers free to charge in their recent Facebook post.
The Old Red Bus Station
The Old Red Bus Station are having extended meetings with their team to try and tackle drink spiking. / Image: The Old Red Bus Station
Local bar, The Old Red Bus Station, have also released a statement.
"The Old Red Bus Station is committed to maintaining a safe environment for our guests and staff and as a part of this process, we have had extended meetings with our security team and our on-site medical team to ensure we are doing everything to continue keeping our patrons safe.
We will be releasing in-depth guidance around the venue to raise awareness and will be happy to respond to any questions that you may have. At Old Red, there is CCTV across the venue and we have rigorous checks in place at the door. We are also involved in the “Ask for Angela” scheme and will be undertaking further staff training in the coming weeks."
Hifi Club Leeds
The local club state that they are "fully behind" the Girls Night In movement in Leeds and are "absolutely committed to ensuring that their space is a safe environment for everyone".
Drink covers are going to be provided to customers as soon as possible and security have been briefed to carry out more searches. CCTV is in place and anyone caught spiking drinks will not only be banned from the venue for life, but they will also be handed over to the police.
Mint Warehouse
Mint Warehouse have issued a statement to customers about drink spiking. / Image: Mint Warehouse
Mint Warehouse have also spoken out against the rise of spiking in nightclubs and bars and reassured customers that they are committing to making their venue a "safe space for everyone".
The club have added extra security, including female door supervisors and are looking into introducing body worn cameras to act as an additional deterrent. The club are also advising their customers to "stick with friends; don't leave drinks unattended and don't accept drinks from strangers".
Secret Krush
The Backroom management team at Secret Krush "pride themselves on several key safety measures", stating that:
"We frequently test and train our staff and management teams to recognise & support vulnerable females; quite often we’ll pay for taxis home for them if we can’t find their friends to help them".
Working closely with the local police and BACIL, full CCTV and "the strictest door policy in the city" are some of their other policies that hope to curb the rise in drink spiking. The popular venue also underlined the importance of training staff and keeping drinks close to avoid any tampering.
"As soon as you put your drink down whether it has a cover or not there is always a risk of someone tampering with it, so please don’t leave it unattended. Sadly, there’s no fool proof solution against drinks tampering, but making sure we let the right people in, conducting thorough searches and having plenty of trained staff are key."
If you have been affected by any of the issues that have been brought up in this article, please reach out to #AskForAngela, Street Angels Leeds, Good Night Out Campaign, Not on my Campus UK, Women’s Lives in Leeds or Nightlife Crew.
"After years of late nights, strong cocktails, and incredible stories; The Maven will close its doors"
It's a sad day for the Leeds night life scene, as a beloved speakeasy bar has today announced that it will be closing its doors for good.
The Maven has been a firm favourite for many years with those looking to enjoy some experimental and expertly made cocktails.
Hidden behind an unassuming door at the top of Call Lane, it was a great spot to visit if you were looking for something that little bit special.
Announcing the news to their social media, The Maven said: "From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for being our guests over the years and promise that until then, we'll do our best to give you the best nights out on Call Lane."
The Government wants the public to help decide if children should be banned from social media
Emily Sergeant
Should there be a minimum age to access social media? Should children be banned all together? The Government is asking the public to help decide.
In case you missed it earlier last month, the Government announced a social media crackdown in a bid to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes – with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he was looking to take ‘immediate action’ to make the online world safer for young people.
The new measures announced included a crackdown on ‘vile’ illegal content created by AI, as well as ‘fast action’ to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law.
It was also hinted at that setting a minimum age limit for social media – which Australia famously became the first country to do so last year – could be on the cards, and also the restricting of other harmful features like infinite scrolling.
The Prime Minister insisted that ‘no platform gets a free pass’.
And now, it’s your turn – parents, guardians, and young people across the UK are being urged to shape the country’s next steps on children’s digital wellbeing, as the Government has today (2 March 2026) opened what is said to be the the world’s most ambitious consultation on social media.
The consultation will aim to gather insights from the public on how to keep children safe online across social media, AI chatbots, and gaming platforms.
The Government has launched a consultation on banning social media for children / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
“Millions of parents across the country worry about what social media is doing to their children’s sleep, concentration, and mental health,” the Government said in a announcing the launch of the consultation.
Many parents and campaign groups have called for an outright ban on social media for under-16s, however, others – including leading children’s charities like UNICEF – have warned that a blanket ban could drive children towards ‘less regulated’ corners of the internet, or leave teenagers unprepared for when they do come online.
This is why the Government says its consultation ‘looks beyond a ban’ and instead covers a full range of options – from curfews, to the impact of chatbots and gaming.
It also asks the questions about how any new rules would work in practice, in a bid to make sure they are effective.
On the social media side of things, three main questions are being posed in the consultaion:
Should there be a minimum age for social media, and if so, what age would be right?
Should platforms be required to switch off addictive features that keep children hooked late into the night – like infinite scrolling and autoplay?
And whether mandatory overnight curfews would help children sleep better, and what age they should apply to?
Speaking on the launch of the consultation today, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Technology is fundamentally changing childhood. Used well, it can open up new opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but only if we get the balance right.
“That is why we want to hear directly from parents, teachers and young people about how we strike that balance and give children the very best childhood in a digital age.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall added: “We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having.
“This is why we’re asking children and parents to take part in this landmark consultation on how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change.”
The consultation is now live, and you can have your say here.
Sophie Smith -
25th October 2021 
