Norwich: Drink-spiking fears prompt venue boycott

Campaigners want to raise awareness of drinks being illegally spiked by staging a one-night boycott of nightclubs and bars

Students have called for a one-night boycott of a city's clubs and bars over fears of people being targeted with spiked drinks and harmful substances.

The group, Girls Night In Norwich, has urged people to stay away from venues in the city on 4 November and wanted staff training and security improved.

It said it was prompted to act after reports surfaced of a woman being injected on a night out in Nottingham.

The Late Night Norwich trade forum declined to comment on the boycott.

The campaign was launched on Monday by seven University of East Anglia students, who share a house together and wished to remain anonymous.

'Shocking testimonies'

The group's spokeswoman said it had set up an Instagram page about the Norwich boycott - also being carried out in other places across the UK - and the response had "snowballed".

She said many people - mainly women - had messaged about their experiences of having drinks tampered with.

"Most shocking is the testimonies... what the reality of going out is when your drinks are getting spiked," she said.

"With drinks there are precautions you can take, but with jabs there are no precautions you can take to stop someone injecting you.

"It falls back into the hands of clubs checking and searching people.

"We want increased awareness among staff working in clubs... a common theme from the messages we've received is the staff not taking it seriously."

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Girls Night In Norwich said it organised the boycott for a Thursday as it was the city's main student night, but it may act on a Saturday in future.

"We hope a good amount of people will be staying in to make a noticeable difference to the number of people out," said the spokeswoman.

Norfolk Police said there had been no recent "increased reporting of drink-spiking incidents" at the county's licensed premises, but any incidents could make people "extremely vulnerable".

"If you think a friend has had their drink spiked, then you should let the bar manager, staff or a door supervisor know," said the force.

"Stay with the person you suspect has had their drink spiked and seek medical help if their condition worsens."