Tesco Tooley Street and Elephant & Castle to provide safe havens

The CitySafe community initiative developed by London Citizens encourages businesses to offer their premises as places of safety for people in immediate danger.

The two SE1 supermarkets are among eight Tesco stores in London which will take part in a three-month pilot and will display a sticker on their window to highlight to young people that it is a CitySafe Haven.

Tesco staff have been trained by London Citizens so that they are well-equipped to provide support when it is needed.

London Citizens volunteers will make regular visits to the stores, getting to know Tesco staff and working with them to address any recurring issues.

"We are excited that Tesco has joined the CitySafe campaign and believe that together we can make our communities safer, stronger and friendlier," said Pete Brierley, CitySafe coordinator at London Citizens.

CitySafe was established by London Citizens, inspired by 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen, who was murdered in a bakery in Lee in 2008.

Since then CitySafe has spread to over 350 locations across the capital including City Hall.

Last autumn pupils at Notre Dame RC Girls' School negotiated with business owners on London Road to set up a CitySafe zone at Elephant & Castle