Drink covers to deter spiking are to be handed out at pubs, bars and venues across a Kent town as part of measures to increase customer safety.

Foil lids which prevent drinks from being tampered with will be freely available as part of the initiative spearheaded by Royal Tunbridge Wells Together (RTW Together).

The Business Improvement District (BID) has teamed up with the Safe Town Partnership, Kent Police and local night life to help prevent the nationwide drink spiking pandemic.

'StopTopps' cover glasses, preventing any unwanted substances getting in, and can be easily pierced by a straw.

It comes just months after one club had its licence temporarily suspended following seven reports of spiking in just one night.

The RTW Together BID has funded a supply of the foil tops to give to pubs, bars, restaurants or clubs who would like them.

BID director Sarah-Jane Adams said: "Prevention is the best option when it comes to an unfortunate and unacceptable nationwide rise in incidents of drink spiking.

"We’re pleased to be supporting the Safe Town network in rolling these items out for free to our community of licensed premises in the town centre."

One venue making the most of the offer is the Bedford, in the High Street, Tunbridge Wells.

Owner Steve is pleased to support the initiative.

He said: “Anything to make people feel safer is a good thing, we have CCTV in this venue and projects such as these are a great idea to form a deterrent for this kind of unwanted behaviour.”

Kent Police licensing officer Andy Forrester is also championing the scheme.

He said: “I fully support anything that promotes safe drinking within the town’s venues. I hope these Stop Topps will give customers the confidence to enjoy their nights out safely."

Roz Heaton, business crime manager for the Safe Town Partnership, said: “Tunbridge Wells is one of the safest places in the county to socialise, however, allegations of spiking made by males and females to police have increased.

"StopTopps in venues, funded by RTW Together, has helped to provide customers with reassurances that their drink has remained unadulterated.

"As well as venues in the town, Tunbridge Wells Street Pastors, who patrol the night at weekends, also have a supply for distribution.”

RTW Together is supporting its delivery of StopTopps with free drink spiking awareness training for local venues.

It will teach how to spot and prevent the act, and what to do in the event that a customer believes their drink has been tampered with.