“Ask for Angela”: Safety scheme gone wrong?

Written by Anastasia Shamara

In mid-November, a BBC undercover investigation exposed alarming failures in staff awareness. Journalists visited several London pubs and attempted to “Ask for Angela,” only to find that many staff members were unfamiliar with the protocol. The findings, published in a widely read article, sparked significant concern about the safety of public venues and the need for proper training of staff. The “Ask for Angela” initiative, launched in the UK in 2016, is a discreet safety scheme that helps those in dangerous situations by asking staff for assistance. Now gaining momentum internationally, its success depends on proper implementation. 

photo credit: Unsplash.com

To widen the research on this topic, a survey was conducted which included members of the public as well as staff members across pubs in Barnes and Kingston. The findings reveal an unsettling disparity between staff confidence and public perception. While most pub managers claimed their teams were trained and familiar with the scheme, gaps in training remain a concern. A staff member admitted: “I’ve never been trained, but I know what it is, and so I think I’d be able to handle the situation.” 90% of pub staff are, however, willing to undergo training.

Among respondents, 86% of survey respondents—predominantly female—shared more skeptical views, split evenly between Barnes and Kingston, 10% reported feeling unsafe in their local pub, and 55% admitted they didn’t know if their venue offered the “Ask for Angela” service and 23% didn’t know what the scheme is. This highlights a critical disconnect between protocol and public awareness—one that could mean the difference between safety and harm.  

One staff member at a pub in Barnes candidly admitted: “I’ve never had anyone ask for Angela, except once at another pub far from here. We have people come in to check if we have posters, though.”

Whilst pubs don’t have any posters up on their windows or next to their “specials” list, they tend to be discreetly hung up in the bathrooms, which proves that most are, indeed, following protocol. But with safety taking a backseat to subtlety, are we doing the “Ask for Angela” initiative justice?