Parliament's Strangers' Bar to Reopen with CCTV After Drink-Spiking Allegation
The bar will implement new safety measures including CCTV, enhanced staff training, and glass covers following a January incident under police investigation.
- Strangers' Bar, a popular venue for MPs and parliamentary staff, will reopen on February 24 after closing in January due to an alleged drink-spiking incident.
- New safety measures include CCTV installation, glass covers available on request, increased security presence, and enhanced training for staff on spiking awareness.
- Access rules will remain unchanged but will be strictly enforced, with MPs allowed up to three guests and other restrictions for different groups such as journalists and former MPs.
- The Metropolitan Police are investigating the alleged spiking incident from January 7, with no arrests made so far.
- Critics point to the need for broader cultural changes at Westminster, where alcohol has been linked to workplace misconduct in the past.