A nightclub in Cardiff says it made a mistake to charge customers for drink covers that stop people from getting spiked.
Pryzm on Greyfriars Road in Cardiff, south Wales, sparked anger by charging 20p for their drink covers, when in recent months there has been a spate of spiking reports in bars and nightclubs across the UK.
The venue says this was a 'mistake' and it is now offering the covers for free.
A one-night boycott of clubs was held last month by the Big Night In Cardiff group in protest at spiking, as part of a national campaign.
Pryzm Cardiff, on Greyfriars Road, sparked anger by charging 20p for their drink covers, which student Peter Thomas, 21, pictured, drew attention to on social media
Spiking often refers to putting drugs in someone's drink without their knowledge, but there have also been recent reports of spiking by injection.
South Wales Police received 18 reports of potential needle spiking in September and October.
Cardiff nightclubs Popworld, Walkabout, Be At One, Story, Metros, Mary's and Revolution are offering them for free.
Pulse is trialling them and has no intention of charging.
The Moon bar said there had been supply issues, but it will be providing free covers.
Attention was drawn to Pryzm's charge last week by Peter Thomas, a Cardiff University student who posted on social media about his experience of visiting the club.
Cardiff university student, Peter Thomas, 21, drew attention to the nightclub's charge when posted his experience on social media.
The psychology student told WalesOnline: 'I was out with a group of girls from my course on the Monday [November 1].
'I thought we should do something to make sure we're not spiked, and when we got to Pryzm, I realised that would be a lot more difficult than I'd thought.
'I wasn't offered a cover myself, which felt a bit selective, but they were offering them to the girls and asking for 20p per lid.
'Who's going to remember to ask for that each time they get a drink?
'Who wants to pay that each time they get a drink?
'It felt like they were using it as a business opportunity.
'It came across as cashing in on spiking when this could literally save a life.
Pryzm says the charge was an attempt to encourage people to reuse the plastic covers, but Mr Thomas believes this could be problematic: 'If you're dancing and the lid gets squashed a bit, it's difficult to reuse from a safety perspective.'
'The girls I was with were a bit gobsmacked.'
Pryzm says the charge was an attempt to encourage people to reuse the plastic covers, but Mr Thomas believes this could be problematic.
The student, of Cathays, said: 'If you're dancing and the lid gets squashed a bit, it's difficult to reuse from a safety perspective.
'They also ran out during the night, and I thought, "Oh my God, surely a club network of that size should be able to source something,".
'It's not the frontline staff's fault.
'Charging has probably got them more abuse, when those staff probably don't want to be charging in the first place.'
The experience prompted Mr Thomas to write on Facebook the following day about his anger over Pryzm's policy, in a post which gained more than 500 likes.
'I know a lot of people have stopped going out now, and don't feel safe in Cardiff anymore,'
