Local businesses and organisations have come together to create ‘Barwatch’; a digital system that allows bars, clubs and pubs in Ipswich to share information about anti-social behaviour with each other and with Suffolk Constabulary, Ipswich Borough Council and us at Ipswich Central.
Ipswich is a safe town to enjoy both the during the day and on a night out, however to make the town feel safer for visitors and residents in the evening, night-time economy businesses from across Ipswich town centre to create a new system which will enable them to communicate and share information about anti-social behaviour.
The new system is supplied by Ipswich Central (the Business Improvement District (BID) for the town) to bars, clubs and pubs across the town centre to better communicate with each other and the police, local authority. A banned from one, banned from all will resonate throughout the licensed premises in Ipswich.
Ady, Owner of The Dove, on behalf of Barwatch says:
“As a group of responsible licensees, we are keen to work together to ensure the safety of everyone including our staff. By working together alongside the constabulary, licensing and agencies; we can minimise and hopefully eradicate the few that can cause issues and remove them from our town. Communication is vital to ensure this can happen and the new DISC system from Ipswich Central will enable us to do so. Sharing information faster, more efficiently and banning people that persist to cause problems will make a better atmosphere at night in Ipswich.”
Sophie, BID Manager at Ipswich Central, adds:
“We’re really excited to be providing this new system for night time economy businesses in Ipswich; this important development might seem like a small change, however we’re confident that by working together we can help create a better evening atmosphere in Ipswich for all.”
Debbie, Senior Licensing and Enforcement Officer at Ipswich Borough Council says:
“A Barwatch scheme linked to the DISC system can only improve the night time economy in the town by giving premises information relating to individuals who are known to cause trouble and prevent them from entering licensed premises. Ipswich town centre also benefits from Purple Flag status - Barwatch and the DISC system can only further enhance this.”
Purple Flag is a national accreditation that is a sign of a safe and enjoyable night out. Ipswich has this because we have a vibrant night time economy – with a range of places to eat and drink and many events going on all the time, while different agencies – like the borough, the Police, and Ipswich Central - work behind the scenes to keep people safe.
If you're a licensed premises and would like to be part of Barwatch, email us on info@ipswichcentral.com and we can send you more information.
