This quarter’s Deltic Night Index’s safety focus highlights clear discrepancy in attitudes between men and women
The latest Deltic Night Index, released today, reveals that average consumer spend on a night out is up an impressive 8.9% year on year to £67.05. Spending is up across all categories (food, transport, entry fees and drinks in the venue),with the exception of pre-drinks, which is down 1.5% on last year. These figures are in contrast to consumers’ frequency of nights out, with 53.9% of individuals going out at least once a week (2017: 60.1%), a 6.2% decline year-on-year.
Commissioned by the UK’s leading late night operator The Deltic Group, the Deltic Night Index is a quarterly report that tracks the changing consumer habits in the UK’s night time economy.
This latest research also highlights that there is an opportunity to ensure more consumers enjoy the night time economy by putting further emphasis on safety and security. Nine in ten (90.4%) of consumers said that how safe they feel on a night out – from the venue itself, to travelling there and back – is an important factor when judging how good a venue is.
Respondents were then asked how safe they felt in various situations, and what might make them feel safer. The contrast between male and female respondents was clear:
- 63.2% of respondents feel safe using public transport when travelling to a night out, compared to just 52.1% on the way home – this figure drops to 46.3% among women
- Similarly, 64.1% of women, and 54.2% of men, said that increased lighting on streets would make them feel safer on a night out
- 38.3% of women and 19.1% of men said that the provision of phone charging points would make them feel safer, while 32.1% of women (compared to 20.4% of men) said that the provision of emergency phones would
- 34.1% of women (compared to 13.8% of men) said that female venue security makes them feel safer
- 76.9% of respondents feel safe being in a venue that searches customers before entry and 71.2% of respondents feel safe in a venue that has metal detectors on the door
- Just 27.4% of respondents feel that bodycams intrude on their privacy, whereas 74.1% are happy that bodycams are being adopted in late night venues
The responses show that the winners will be the towns that increase late night public transport, street lighting and police presence, and the operators that focus on enhancing their security.
However, it is also interesting to note that when asked who is most responsible for providing a safe night out over half of respondents –55.6% – said themselves. This was followed by nightclub owners (19.0%), and local council public and emergency services (10.0%).
Peter Marks, Chief Executive of The Deltic Group commented, “We know safety is a key priority for both operators and consumers, and we have always worked with all local stakeholders to ensure this is the case. But this data shows that there is an opportunity for operators and local authorities to come together to help create an environment that feels even more safe.
“This is now our ninth Deltic Night Index, but the first one to look at safety, and the first where the data has revealed a consistent,clear discrepancy in attitudes between men and women. Clearly, when it comes to creating a healthy late-night economy, the focus needs to be on creating a night out that everyone can enjoy.”