This weekend (25 - 27 July) the much-anticipated Tramlines Festival returns to Hillsborough Park, as does the free, city centre event, The Fringe at Tramlines.
Thousands of people, including local residents and visitors to the city, will be heading to the city centre to enjoy the festivities.
To ensure people can enjoy the events as safely as possible, the Safer Sheffield Partnership – made up of Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Police, public and voluntary sector partners – are bringing back the Safe Square initiative.
Located in Barkers Pool, Sheffield Safe Square offers a free, welcoming space for anyone in need of welfare or medical assistance during a night out.
Open from 10:30pm to 4am, the service will be available throughout Tramlines weekend, ensuring festivalgoers have access to care and support right in the heart of the city centre.
Tramlines weekend is one of the biggest dates on Sheffield event’s calendar. It’s a wonderful edition to the city, as is The Fringe at Tramlines offering a free alternative to those who don’t have tickets to the main event.
We want people to enjoy themselves, but we also want to ensure that everyone is safe and feels secure when out enjoying themselves.
Safe Square is a free to use, non-judgemental service open to anyone in the city centre needing help or support during the night and I am delighted that it will be returning for this weekend.
So far, it has been incredibly successful and has helped hundreds of individuals whilst out enjoying the local nightlife. The impact on both people living and visiting Sheffield, as well as our city centre nighttime economy, has been very positive.
Councillor Kurtis Crossthorn, Chair of the Communities Parks and Leisure Committee at Sheffield City Council
Since its launch 18 months ago, Safe Square has supported over 500 people, offering non-judgemental help to a diverse mix of users across all age groups and genders.
The initiative aims to:
• Improve access to medical and welfare resources for those enjoying Sheffield’s night-time economy
• Reduce unnecessary A&E admissions
• Allow South Yorkshire Police to focus on their duties while trained staff assist those in need
• Enhance perceptions of safety for nights out in the city
Following Tramlines, Safe Square will continue to operate across 33 sessions throughout the year, including key dates such as the August Bank Holiday, Freshers Week, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve.
Led by city centre bar manager and campaigner Kayleigh Waine, the initiative is funded by the Safer Sheffield Community Safety Partnership and the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit.
This funding secures Safe Square’s future through to April 2026.
We are so glad to be back! Thank you to everyone for continuing to support the Safe Space and help secure the funding from Safer Sheffield and the VRU, and big thanks to Mediqas and IPM for partnering with us.
We start Friday 25 for Tramlines weekend and have a full list of dates right through to April 26 on our Facebook page and on posters in venues.
Kayleigh Waine who leads on the Safe Square delivery