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City 'safe square' returns for Christmas revellers

Safe Square Photo shows a police car and an ambulance parked beside a white tent in Barker's Pool, a public square in Sheffield city centre. It is night time and in the distance there are two people stood outside the tent and once person sitting inside waiting to help people.Safe Square
The service in Sheffield will temporarily reopen over Christmas and New Year's Eve

A “lifesaving” project aiming to keep revellers safe in Sheffield has returned to the city for the festive period.

The Safe Square service, which launched as a pilot in December 2023, said it had helped nearly 500 people in the city centre since it started.

People seeking help can stop at gazebos in Barker’s Pool to gain medical assistance, charge their phones for free and get support in booking taxis.

It will open every Saturday in December, along with Friday 13 and 20 December and on New Year’s Eve between 22:00-04:30 GMT.

Funding ran out in October and it was forced to close, but it had since received a short-term grant from the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit to allow it to reopen over Christmas.

Safe Square is a team of people at Barker's Pool looking after partygoers

Sheffield City Council's Douglas Johnson, speaker for the Green group, said the party would campaign for further funding to allow it to continue permanently.

“Safe Square is a really important, lifesaving mission, it offers a point of refuge for anyone who needs help on a night out," the councillor said.

Kayleigh Waine, of the Bamboo Door bar, Leopold Square, said the project saves NHS funds and resources by preventing people from having to go to A&E.

"I work in hospitality and we are the people who see the need for it the most," she said.

"It has been really successful, it has been helpful for people who are enjoying the nightlife and hopefully instils a feeling of being safe."

Safe Square uses two private ambulance firms along with the IMP Group security company.

South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit funded the majority of the pilot, along with support from South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield BID.

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