Year-round drug testing onsite at events across the UK introduced to reduce drug-related harm

The Loop has started a new year-round programme to deliver its pioneering onsite drug testing at Drumsheds and The Warehouse Project, with testing in the autumn 2024 clubbing season to monitor trends in the drug market for safety.

For the first time The Loop has received HO licences to test at venues, building on its work at festivals over this summer. Much of The Loop’s service delivery, since 2013, has been working within and alongside the festival industry, and developing the service model and approach for drug testing services in different environments. The Loop’s drug testing services (‘back of house – BOH’) are non-public facing and operate by testing substances confiscated or through amnesty onsite, and working alongside key stakeholders. The Loop received the first ever Home Office licences issued for drug testing for UK festivals in spring 2024, and for UK venues in autumn 2024.

The Loop is now conducting onsite drug testing at two of the largest club venues in the UK, Drumsheds in London and The Warehouse Project, Depot Mayfield in Manchester, to inform our understanding of the UK’s changing drug market and the implications of that for both customers and emergency services operating in those venues. The Loop will have the UK’s first HO licensed mobile laboratories to be located onsite within both venues during operating hours, to rapidly and accurately test substances of concern and disseminate test results with the primary aim of reducing drug-related harm.

Changes in the drug market have made the rapid-real time testing offered by the Loop more important than ever with drug-related deaths at the highest on record and set to increase further. The UK also faces increasing challenges with the emergence and proliferation of synthetic cathinones, cannabinoids and opioids.

Katy Porter, CEO of The Loop said:

“With our drug testing being completed at festivals, a seasonal industry, we have been concerned that this does not go far enough in maintaining regular drug intelligence across the UK, and importantly throughout the year. The introduction of our year-round onsite testing into a venue in both London and Manchester will provide intelligence for real time risk management and harm reduction information that can be quickly shared with the public, other venues and wider stakeholders to reduce the potential of significant harms.”

Professor Fiona Measham, Chair in Criminology at the University of Liverpool and founder and Chair of The Loop said:

“The Loop’s drug testing programme is going from strength to strength. We started out conducting the very first back of house testing onsite at the WHP in October 2013 and 11 years later The Loop is introducing year-round onsite venue testing, including with our long term partners at the WHP and now also at Drumsheds, with full HO licences. The size of these venues and the regularity of testing all year round means that The Loop’s understanding of drug markets will only increase.”

Implementing onsite drug testing at both Drumsheds, London, and The Warehouse Project, Manchester, will commence a nationwide network of drug testing, funded directly by the venues. Swiftly communicating to venue customers, wider nightlife communities, and partners, including public health, early warning systems, law enforcement, and importantly, the generation of real-time alerts when there are significant concerns.

Sam Spencer, Head of Operations, representing Drumsheds and 9.8, says:

‘As part of our ongoing commitment to public safety and harm reduction, we are proud to collaborate with The Loop in bringing their innovative drug testing service to Drumsheds. We believe in taking proactive steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all audiences and the introduction of testing is a significant move in that direction. The information gathered helps us continue to respond in real-time to potential risks, and following the ONS report of increased drug-related harms, this initiative represents a crucial shift in how the industry responds. It’s about more than just mitigating risks - it’s about equipping people with the knowledge and support they need to stay safe across London, Manchester, and nationwide, while fostering a responsible, informed culture within the live events space’.

Sam Kandel, Co-Founder of The Warehouse Project: 

'Our customers’ experience and wellbeing is our top priority, as a team we work hard behind the scenes to ensure we deliver the best on-site experience for everyone involved. As a long-term partner of The Loop, we wholeheartedly support their mission and are proud to continue their innovative drug testing service at The Warehouse Project. Ultimately, drug testing gathers vital information that helps us respond promptly to potential risks - a crucial safeguarding step to proactively support the wellbeing of all our attendees.'

The Loop’s mobile lab, operating under a Home Office licence, will contribute to the national surveillance of illicit drug markets, which allows more targeted interventions when responding to drug use, disseminated through social media to reach a wide audience, and in working with local and central government departments, OHID and the Home Office, in consideration of concerns and response.

The NTIA wholeheartedly supports The Loop’s pioneering initiative to expand onsite drug testing. This programme represents a groundbreaking step forward in our shared commitment to enhancing public safety within the nightlife sector. The rapid changes within the UK’s drug market, including the rise of synthetic substances, have underscored the urgent need for informed, real-time responses. The NTIA is proud to champion this forward-thinking approach, which equips our nightlife venues with tools that protect audiences and encourage a safer, more responsible nightlife culture. The partnership between The Loop, venues, and local authorities marks a crucial evolution in public safety and harm reduction within the UK’s nightlife sector, and we look forward to supporting its positive impact on communities nationwide.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association:

The planning for testing will remain dynamic, and in consideration of additional information and intelligence from all involved partners (police, public health), increased risk and further changes

in the drugs market, and to ultimately inform plans for related harm reduction activity and approaches.

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Notes to Editors:

The Loop is the UK’s first dedicated drug-checking charity, with years of experience delivering drug testing, training, and harm reduction services. Founded by Professor Fiona Measham, a government drugs advisor since 2008, The Loop provides a range of evidence-based, research-led services to a variety of stakeholders, maximising the organisation’s impact. As recognised leaders in communicating drug harms through alerts based on trends identified in its testing services, this ensures the content of training is accurate, current and relevant.

The Loop provides non-judgemental, factual information to communicate relative risk and help reduce potential harm, signposting and supporting people to immediate and if required emergency health services, where appropriate.

The Loop is clear that there is no such thing as safe drug use, all drug use carries risk, and it benefits all drug using communities and emergency services to better understand the nature and extent of dangerous drugs in circulation, to reduce the harm caused to individuals, communities and wider society.

What is 'back of house' drug testing?
'Back of house' drug testing is a term which was first coined by Professor Fiona Measham to describe The Loop's non public testing for harm reduction purposes. It is used to distinguish this type of harm reduction service from 'front of house' publicly accessible drug testing known internationally as 'drug checking'.

The Loop’s model of non public drug testing involves rapid analysis of substances of concern obtained from a wide variety of sources (including medical and welfare services; surrenders to amnesty bins; ground finds; and seizures and confiscations), tested by a team of chemists in a mobile laboratory located onsite at the festival. The primary aim of The Loop's onsite drug testing service is harm reduction. Results are disseminated throughout the day in real time to emergency services, support staff and other stakeholders onsite and offsite and, where appropriate, to the wider public via media, social media and early warning systems. The Loop's multi disciplinary team of health professionals and criminologists then interpret and contextualise any test results in terms of drug markets and risk to the public. In this way The Loop's drug testing differs from some other drug testing services operating behind the scenes, onsite at festivals and elsewhere, whose primary aim is to provide intelligence to police and security services.

When did 'back of house' drug testing start?
The Loop introduced the UK's first 'back of house' harm reduction drug testing in the WHP in 2013 and in festivals in 2014. The Loop has conducted onsite harm reduction drug testing at every Parklife festival from 2014-2024 except in 2020 (due to Covid) and 2023. In recognition of the pioneering introduction of infrared spectroscopy in its back of house festival testing service for harm reduction purposes, The Loop won the UK Festival Awards 2014 award for ‘Best Use of New Technology’.

For more information:

The history of The Loop introducing 'back of house' testing for harm reduction in the UK: Our History — The Loop

A journal article discussing The Loop's 'back of house' festival testing for harm reduction £0: https://doi.org/10.1177/20503245221099209

The Loop alerts archive: Drug Alerts — The Loop

Broadwick Live is an industry leader in venue entertainment and events management, with a portfolio of spaces and iconic venues across the UK. Primarily centred around music, Broadwick Group's venues serve as versatile hubs for cultural expression and creative collaboration. The company's mission extends beyond mere entertainment; it aspires to create transformative spaces that resonate with the ethos of Music, Culture, and Space.

Through strategic partnerships and innovative initiatives, Broadwick Group continues to shape the future of venue entertainment, driving meaningful experiences and cultural impact on a global scale. Music, culture, and progressive space are more than just components of their business, they are the beating heart of everything they do. Broadwick is dedicated to creating experiences that resonate deeply with their audiences, leaving a lasting impact on the world of entertainment and beyond, and within that is a deep commitment to the safety of the public and audience. While Broadwick take this step to help to improve safety, it is emphasised that policies regarding illegal substances remain unchanged. Broadwick do not condone or tolerate the use of drugs at their venues. This initiative is about minimising harm and promoting safety for all guests and aligning with Broadwick’s commitment to create a secure and responsible event environment generally.

The Warehouse Project stands as one of the most anticipated event series in the UK’s music scene. Founded in 2006, The Warehouse Project has become a cornerstone of Manchester’s cultural landscape. From Boddingtons Strangeways Brewery, to Store Street, and now at the illustrious Depot Mayfield. The main club season, spanning from September through to New Year’s Day, is an annual spectacle, complemented by off-season events and takeovers throughout the year.