Newcastle reaches 68 Shout-Up! certified venues as hospitality group train staff across five sites

Newcastle has reached a milestone of 68 venues now certified through the Shout-Up! programme, the Newcastle City Council-funded initiative which trains hospitality staff to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and helps venues create safer environments for customers and staff.

The Malhotra Group — a family-owned North East business employing more than 2,000 people — has taken an organisation-wide approach, certifying five venues: The Duke of Northumberland, The Three Mile Inn, The Albatross Hostel, Grey Street Hotel and the Great North Hotel.

Staff across these venues have completed Shout-Up! training, equipping them with practical skills to recognise the early signs of sexual harassment, intervene safely and help make nights out in Newcastle safer for everyone.

Dawn Bowman, Shout-Up! Lead for Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, said:

“When operators make an organisation-level decision to train staff across multiple venues, it sends a clear message to everyone who works and socialises in those spaces. The Malhotra Group has made that commitment this year. Staff across five venues now have the practical skills to spot concerning behaviour early and the confidence to step in safely. Newcastle has always had strong uptake of Shout-Up! and commitments at this scale are a significant part of why the city has reached this milestone.”

Shout-Up! works with licensed premises to train staff in practical intervention, focused on early recognition and confident action before situations escalate. Venues that complete training and implement clear internal policies achieve Shout-Up! certification, which is renewed every two years.

Certification requires both staff training and the implementation of venue policies, and is completed over time as venues meet these standards.

Recent completions in the city include venues such as Dobson & Parnell, Blackfriars and Pilgrim, with further venues currently in training or working towards certification.

Cllr Paula Maines, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for housing, children and families, including preventing violence against women and girls, said:

“Newcastle is a safe and welcoming city that is rightly renowned for its vibrant nightlife.

“The vast majority of the thousands of people who come and enjoy that every week do so without incident, but it is important that we make sure those working in our night-time economy have the right training and support to intervene when issues arise.

“The Shout-Up! scheme is a vital part of that, allowing venues to show they are prioritising the safety of their customers, and allowing the council to see how seriously the industry is taking that responsibility.

 “It is fantastic to see Shout-Up! reaching this number of certified venues, and we would urge all others to find out more about taking part.”

Wayne Dowson, Operations Manager at The Malhotra Group, said:

“We want people to feel safe when they visit our venues, and that starts with making sure our teams know how to respond if something isn’t right. Putting five of our venues through Shout-Up! together meant every team received the same training and guidance.

‘Our staff now feel more confident recognising concerning behaviour and stepping in early, which makes a real difference day to day.”

Licensed venues interested in being part of Shout-Up! Newcastle can register their interest by here.