A nightclub will stay closed tonight in a show of support for a campaign to tackle the problem of drinks being spiked.

Club Chemistry, in Station Road, Canterbury, will instead use this evening to train staff about the issue of spiking – including by injection.

Club Chemistry boss Matthew Jones-Roberts told the KentOnline panel show Lowdown: "We have decided to close in solidarity with the campaign.

"No-one wants people to be spiked at all.

"It's going to take a collective effort as a society and venues and the authorities involved to make sure we try and eradicate it completely."

Mr Jones-Roberts said his staff try to nip problems in the bud by searching guests as they arrive, sometimes with sniffer dogs and also with metal detectors.

He added: "In the venue staff try to be vigilant in looking out for people that might have sinister intentions.

Aisha Dosanjh is president of Kent Union

"It's going to be a real community effort here. Venues don't want spiking to occur and we spend hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds every year to try and stop measures that people may take to interrupt someone's night."

Club Chemistry, on its Facebook page, said that during today's one-night shutdown its staff will be paid to attend a refresher training session.

This is to reinforce the need for vigilance and how to deal with any case of suspected spiking.

In Kent, the single night boycott has been named after the two areas involved, Canterbury Night In and Medway Night In, which are both home to universities.

The nationwide action is in response to a recent upsurge in reports of spiking of people's drinks.

Women have also told of being spiked by injection.

The boycott was renamed from Girls Night In to make it more inclusive and each action is christened after the area it takes place in.

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