HUNDREDS OF SWINDON BAR STAFF TRAINED TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE ON A NIGHT OUT

HUNDREDS of bar staff who work and are part of the night-time economy in Swindon’s centre and Old Town, are now trained in methods to keep people safe when they are on a night out.

Many of those staff work in outlets which are members of Swindon Pub Watch, an organisation which has led the charge for keeping people safe in the town and also embraced one strategy known as ‘ask Angela’. 

Paige Eaton, who is manager of the MECA in Swindon and secretary of Swindon Pub Watch, said:

“We’re proud to let the wider Swindon and Wiltshire public know that our members and their staff take the safety of our customers very seriously. 

“Swindon and Wiltshire are actually very safe places to live, work and socialise – however we have to recognise that people can find themselves vulnerable for many reasons and we want everyone to know that we can help if a difficult situation arises.” 

In 2021, Swindon Council received funding to train night time economy staff through a scheme known as Welfare, Vulnerability & Engagement Training (WAVE). One aspect of safety is the ‘ask Angela’ code phrase which was actually launched in 2016 in memory of Angela Crompton who was killed by her violent partner four years earlier. 

If someone feels vulnerable, or under threat in any way, they can approach a member of staff at a venue and say ‘can I speak to Angela?’ – this will then indicate to that member of staff that this person needs. They will then be taken away from the situation and staff will use their training to determine the next best course of action. 

“Our trained staff will be wearing ‘ask Angela’ badges to indicate that they will understand if someone speaks to them using this phrase. This could be someone who feels uncomfortable or under threat in the company of a person they know, or they have just met. They could feel vulnerable for many reasons and we will take it seriously and respect the fact that they feel exposed or at risk of harm. 

“Once with us, we will decide with the person what the next step should be such as ensuring they get a taxi home, calling an emergency contact for them and waiting until they are safely collected or even calling the police if required,” Paige said 

Swindon Pub Watch, which currently has 28 venues as members in Swindon town centre and in Old Town, are hoping this initiative will encourage other venues across the wider Swindon area to join them. 

“We are stronger together working as a collective,” Paige said. “We can ensure training is kept up to date with best practice and we can lobby for and talk about the positive impact of the night-time economy on Swindon as a whole.”