SAFE & SECURE
NEWPORT
The city centre suffers, like most high streets in the UK, with issues of anti-social behaviour which can in some cases create an intimidating environment. The aim of this theme is to address this and work with the police, local authority and other agencies to make the city centre experience more pleasant for visitors, residents and staff alike during the day and night.
What we deliver…
Street Ambassadors
Our Ambassadors are on duty 10am-5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and 9am-5pm Thursday to Saturday. Part of their role is to liaise with businesses and log any issues they may be facing. They aim to visit 100 Levy payers every month. In addition to this, they will also attend to incidents in the city centre reported by businesses. Typically, the number of incidents they attend each month number more than 100 and relate to the following issues:
-
Anti-Social Behaviour
-
Shoplifting (dealing with or assisting)
-
General public enquiries
-
General crime
-
Parking/traffic
-
Medical emergency
Launched in the summer of 2022 thanks to funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund, our Night Ambassadors are on duty 8pm-4am every Friday and Saturday. Now funded via the Police & Crime Commissioner for Gwent, their primary role is to provide a high-visibility presence in the city centre, providing reassurance and advice. They work closely with the police, security staff for the night time economy, and Street Pastors.
Our Street and Night Ambassadors can be contacted during their hours of duty on 07307 045584 or via the city centre radio system.
"Le Pub loves the BID! Thanks to the BID our business gets to benefit from amazing events in our city such as the Food Festival and Record Store Day. We’ve also received a grant for uplighters for our building and taken advantage of a great service that saved us money on our energy"
Sam Dabb
Le Pub
Pub Watch
The BID attends all meetings of Pub Watch, and works with licensed premises, the council and the police to increase participation in the scheme.
Police
We meet regularly with the city centre police inspector to ensure there is a good working partnership between the police and the business community. Our Ambassadors work closely with the police, CSOs, council wardens and private security.
Purple Flag
Newport city centre attained Purple Flag status for its night time economy in 2020 and again in 2022. Similar to the Blue Flag for beaches, the Purple Flag scheme aims to raise the standard and appeal of town and city centres between 5pm and 5am. Areas awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and residents. Highlights from Newport’s 2022 submission included the invigoration of cafe culture during the pandemic, the proactive work being done around drugs and drink spiking, and the Newport Explorer signage. The BID has responsibility for ensuring the status is retained again in 2023.
