Helping people discreetly seek support in venues when they feel unsafe, threatened or vulnerable.
If you ever find yourself in a situation that doesn’t feel right—whether on a date, on a night out, or after being approached by someone making you uncomfortable—you can simply go to the bar or approach a member of staff and ask for “Angela.”
Staff trained in the Ask for Angela scheme will understand that you need help and will support you quickly, discreetly, and without drawing attention.
Imagine you’re on a date that isn’t working out. Or someone in a pub, restaurant, nightclub, or entertainment venue is making you feel uncomfortable. Or you feel unsafe but don’t want to cause a scene. Ask for Angela exists for these moments.
When you ask a staff member for “Angela,” you are signalling that you need assistance and what the issue is in relation to. Staff will take you to a safe space where you can consider how you want to proceed. Depending on the situation, staff can:
All support is provided confidentially and calmly, putting your safety first. Participating venues display Ask for Angela posters, typically in washrooms and cubicles. These locations allow people to read the guidance privately, away from the unsafe situation they may be experiencing.
Ask for Angela was created and developed in 2016 by Hayley Crawford (née Child). The concept originated from Hayley’s professional experience and insight while working in the field of sexual violence prevention. It was not a commissioned project, nor part of a formal job description, but an original safeguarding initiative she conceived and designed to address real-world risks in the night-time economy and delivered through partners she was working with at the time.
What began as a local safeguarding response quickly grew into a nationally recognised scheme, now known across the UK and beyond. Ask for Angela is widely adopted by pubs, bars, clubs, restaurants, and entertainment venues as a simple but powerful way to help protect customers who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or at risk.
The scheme is named in memory of Angela Crompton (née Phillips).
Angela was tragically killed by her husband, Thomas Crompton, in June 2012 at their home in Arminghall, Norfolk. The attack followed a domestic argument and shocked the local community.
Angela was a mother of three. Ask for Angela exists to honour her memory by helping others escape unsafe situations before harm occurs.
We are the original Ask for Angela recognised and supported by its creator and founder Hayley Crawford.
Ask for Angela is not a CIC, it is a free charitable organisation (registration pending with the charity commission for England and Wales), which has been Hayley’s intention and commitment since setting up in 2016.
Ask for Angela has the full support and participation of Angela’s daughter Hollie, read her words about her mother, and her passion for our organisation here:
We believe there should be no barriers to venues keeping people safe.
All participating venues receive free support, including:
We work closely with local Pubwatches, who coordinate Ask for Angela across pubs and entertainment venues in local areas.
We also collaborate with local authorities and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to ensure the scheme is widely available and consistently delivered.
If you operate a pub, bar, restaurant, nightclub, or entertainment venue, we encourage you to get involved. We will provide everything you need—free of charge—to implement Ask for Angela correctly and responsibly.
If you are part of a Pubwatch scheme, Shop Watch or BID area, encourage them to contact us so we can ensure all those venues in your area are supported to implement the scheme.
If your local venue does not currently participate in Ask for Angela, please ask them to get in touch with us. Your voice helps expand the scheme and protect others.
