Shout-Up!, the innovative Newcastle City Council initiative aimed at eradicating sexual harassment in nightlife, continues its expansion with 12 venues recertifying and two new venues joining the campaign. This brings the total number of certified Shout-Up! venues in the city to an impressive 56.
Among the recertifying establishments are beloved venues such as Alvinos, Colonel Porter’s, Cosy Joes, Cumberland Arms, Holy Hobo, Newcastle Students’ Union, Northumbria Students’ Union, The Cluny, The Empress, The Lubber Fiend, and Wonderbar/Newgate Street Social.
The Cluny and Cumberland Arms hold particular significance, as they were among the first venues to support the initiative when it launched in 2017.
Dawn Bowman, Helpline & Volunteer Coordinator and Shout-Up! Lead for Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, remarked on this important achievement: “For eight years, The Cluny and Cumberland Arms have been committed to making their spaces sexual harassment-free. Their recertification for an additional two years highlights their unwavering dedication to creating safe, inclusive environments. They continue to serve as beacons of best practice and role models for others in Newcastle’s nighttime economy.”
Steve Brown, Manager of The Cluny, also underscored the campaign’s significance: “It’s important for us to be involved in the Shout-Up! programme as it takes measures to ensure the staff and clientele are safeguarded. This means our team knows what to look out for and when to intervene to prevent and eliminate any potential sexual harassment or other incidents.”
Newly certified venues in 2024 include Bobby’s, Mushroom, and one of Newcastle’s oldest pubs, The Beehive. These establishments have embraced the campaign’s mission to create harassment-free spaces. With their addition, a total of 1,196 individuals employed within Newcastle’s nighttime economy have now received Shout-Up! training, demonstrating the city’s collective commitment to tackling sexual harassment.
Bethany, General Manager at Bobby’s, expressed the importance of joining the campaign: “Being a part of Shout-Up! is vital to us as a business, and a community, as it promotes a safe place for individuals to enjoy themselves without fear of being harassed. Sexual harassment should not be normalised, and we actively aim to play a part in changing the narrative that allows sexual harassment to be normalised.”
- Ensure all staff complete Bystander Intervention Training, meaning they know what to look out for and how to intervene safely
- Write and share sexual harassment policies that protect staff and patrons
- Have a publicly available procedure for dealing with incidents of sexual harassment
- Commit to making their venue a sexual harassment-free zone
- Display visible signage explaining their participation in the scheme and what patrons can expect to happen in the event of sexual harassment
- Commit to undertake six-monthly reviews on policies, procedures and training to retain certification.
“We’ve now trained over 1,196 people who work in bars, pubs, and clubs in the city to give them more knowledge about how sexual harassment can impact people, places, and reputation and give them the skills to intervene safely and effectively.
Shout-Up! originated in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2017, and has gone on to support venues and venue staff in Northamptonshire and Torbay.
Licensed venues in Newcastle upon Tyne who have yet to become Shout-Up! certified are encouraged to sign-up on the website. The scheme is free for bars, pubs and clubs in the city.
For more information visit shoutup.org/newcastle-upon-tyne
