As part of the work being done to prevent violent crime through our Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), bars and clubs have received knife wands to deter people from carrying weapons on a night out in Weston-super-Mare.

Venues across Weston have received these knife wands free of charge through our VRU to enable venue staff to search customers to help detect anyone who may be carrying a knife.

There has already been a really positive response from venues who rarely have any issues relating to knife crime, yet they understand the importance of having a preventative initiative like this in place.

It’s important to stress that Weston’s evening and night-time economy is safe. We have Purple Flag status, which is a national award recognising a safe, clean and well-managed town centre and evening and night-time economy. The knife wands are an additional measure to help keep you safe.