Liverpool Business Improvement District is committed to supporting businesses across the city centre by investing in practical, collaborative solutions that improve safety, confidence and trading environments. One such initiative is our partnership with Safer Pods, trialling in-store Safer Pods as a visible deterrent to theft and anti-social behaviour.

What is a Safer Pod?

A Safer Pod is a visual, portable and self-contained 360-degree security surveillance unit designed to help prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. The Pod provides 24/7 monitoring and acts as a highly visible deterrent, equipped with 105-decibel sirens and strobe lighting that can be activated when required. Its presence supports businesses by discouraging opportunistic theft, increasing staff confidence and reinforcing a proactive approach to safety.

A recent installation at Boots Clayton Square has demonstrated how targeted business support can deliver meaningful results during peak trading periods.

The Challenge

Like many retailers, Boots Clayton Square experienced increased losses in high-value product areas, particularly fragrance gift sets, during the busy Christmas period. Opportunistic theft was a recurring issue, putting pressure on colleagues and store security teams at the front of house.

To help address this, Liverpool Business Improvement District worked with Boots and Safer Pods to install a Safer Pod in a strategic location near the fragrance department.

The Impact

According to Junior Nevins, Store Manager at Boots Clayton Square, the presence of the Safer Pod had an immediate and noticeable effect:

“The Safer Pod acted as a deterrent for opportunists. We located it near the high value fragrance gift sets because we had high losses last year over our peak Christmas period. We had less reports of theft from our fragrance colleagues.”

While recognising that loss reduction is influenced by multiple factors – including guarding and staffing investment – Boots saw a significant year-on-year improvement during the period the Safer Pod was in place.

Supporting Data

Over the peak trading period, losses within the fragrance department were approximately £20,000 lower than the previous year.

As Junior explains:

“This will be down to multiple factors… so the Pod must have had an impact in our reduction of loss YOY.”

This reduction highlights the Safer Pod’s role as part of a broader, layered approach to retail safety.

Improving Colleague Confidence and Visibility

Beyond loss prevention, the Safer Pod also supported colleague wellbeing and confidence on the shop floor.

“The Pod also helped colleagues feel safer, as it allowed them to immediately make individuals displaying aggressive behaviour aware that they were being monitored.”

The visible presence of the Pod gave colleagues an additional tool to de-escalate situations and feel supported when dealing with challenging behaviour.

Loss Prevention colleague John Redmond also noted wider operational benefits:

“The introduction of the Safer Pod in Boots, provided by the BID, has deterred opportunistic theft and improved staff visibility. With more time spent at the front of the store and fewer call-outs to other store areas, the pod’s location has encouraged customer engagement and provided stronger overall coverage.”

From Liverpool Business Improvement District’s perspective, the installation reinforced the value of partnership working between retailers, security teams and city-wide safety networks.

Perry Daly-Ryall, Operations Manager at Liverpool Business Improvement District, said:

“The in-store installation of the Safer Pod has provided benefits beyond its main purpose as a deterrent. Working with the store has created a partnership approach to tackling shop theft and ASB.”

“Stores with the Safer Pod have seen more incident reports on the Safety App DISC from store guards, improved radio communication with City Watch and other businesses, and better police reports and intelligence sharing.”

While the Safer Pod remains a key physical deterrent, it has also acted as a catalyst for stronger communication, reporting and collaboration across the city centre.

Looking Ahead

Feedback from Boots Clayton Square has already helped shape future thinking, including potential enhancements such as visual indicators to show when a Pod is active.

This example demonstrates how practical business support, combined with partnership working, can make a tangible difference – not only in reducing loss, but in improving confidence, engagement and safety for colleagues and customers alike.

This trial marks just the beginning of how Safer Pods can support businesses across Liverpool city centre. If you’re interested in learning more about how this initiative could benefit your business, or would like to explore future opportunities, please get in touch with the Liverpool BID Company team.