Night Safety audits

We are pleased to have partnered with Night Time Economy Solutions to provide our Night Safety Audit service in Westminster. The audits identify areas of improvement and provide sustainable solutions to address issues relating to women’s safety, particularly at night. Our team of experts have conducted multiple audits around the West End from 7pm until 30 minutes after the last venue closed or when most people had left the area.

During the audits, we invited stakeholders such as elected members, local police officers, representatives from the BIDs, local evening and night time economy businesses, as well as voluntary organisations to join us for the entire time or part of the night to gain their insight. This ensured that all relevant parties had the opportunity to be involved in the audit process, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of the area.

What did we audit?

The audits covered several aspects, including:

• vulnerability management
• transportation and access
• the public realm
• policies
• partnership working and management

We were specifically looking to assess how the area is made to feel welcoming and safe, evaluating the ease of navigating the West End with appropriate night-time transport provision for arrival and departure.

We also assessed the quality and diversity of the current evening and night time economy offer and identify any gaps that need to be addressed. Our team looked to observe:

• lighting
• waste management and cleansing
• seating
• planting
• signage
• look and feel
• animation
• use of land in the public realm.

Finally, we also considered the implementation of current night-time economy policies and management of the evening and night-time economy by stakeholders, including collaboration between sectors, agencies, service providers, and policy-makers.

Next steps

Our Night Safety Audit service has been designed to provide valuable insights into the West End area and help to improve safety, accessibility, and vibrancy in the night-time economy. Our team will provide specific, sustainable solutions designed to reduce or resolve enduring and emerging issues in the area. Those insights will be published on this webpage soon.