For everyone on a night out
How it works
1. Ask for "Angela"
Go to the bar or any member of staff at a participating venue and ask for Angela.
2. Staff know what it means
Trained staff recognise it as a request for help and respond calmly, taking your lead.
3. Get the help you want
That could be help to leave safely, a safe place to wait, being supported to stay, or more help where it's needed.
Not every venue takes part yet, so check the Ask for Angela venue map. In an emergency, always call 999 or 112.
Why Cocktail Week backs it
Ten days of new bars, one phrase that works in all of them
New bars, every night
A Cocktail Week wristband is an invitation to try bars you have never been in before. One phrase that staff recognise means you can ask for help wherever you are on the list, without knowing anyone there.
Groups, couples and first dates
Cocktail Week brings out groups of friends, birthdays, hen dos and first dates. If a night stops feeling right, nobody should have to explain themselves to get help.
It's the scale we work at
Over 140,000 wristbands and over 1,100 venues since 2022. With that many people out, a simple, trusted way to ask for help belongs in every venue taking part.
Good for our venues too
It is free to set up, and 49% of people say they are more likely to visit venues with measures to improve women's safety (YouGov).
It fits how we run the week
Every venue serves an alcohol-free signature, we ask everyone to drink responsibly, and Ask for Angela means help is one sentence away.
For bars and restaurants
Taking part in Cocktail Week? Sign up to Ask for Angela
Ask for Angela is the nationally recognised safety initiative that helps venues create safer, more supportive places for their customers. It gives your team the training, guidance and resources to recognise and respond when someone feels vulnerable or at risk.
We would love every Cocktail Week venue to be part of it. It is free to set up:
- Read the free set-up guide and team workbook from Ask for Angela.
- Brief your team and put the posters up.
- Sign the free National Venue Pledge. Your venue then appears on the Ask for Angela map.
Signed up? Let us know at hello@cocktail-week.com.
of people say they are more likely to visit venues with measures to improve women's safety (YouGov, quoted by Ask for Angela).
of harassment victims said at least one incident happened in person (ONS, quoted by Ask for Angela). Many people don't feel able to ask for help openly in the moment. Ask for Angela removes that barrier.
Where it came from
From Lincoln pubs to a national scheme
- 2016
Hayley Crawford created Ask for Angela at Lincolnshire County Council, as part of its #NoMore campaign against sexual violence and abuse. It was first trialled in Lincoln pubs.
- 2016
The Metropolitan Police's licensing teams took it up in London, and National Pubwatch backed it that November. Police forces and councils across the UK followed.
- 2018
It went global. Sydney rolled it out in over 1,000 bars, and it has since spread to countries including Canada, New Zealand and Argentina.
- 2023
Ask for Angela CIC was set up as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, giving venues free support, training materials and the National Venue Pledge.
- 2026
Hayley Crawford received the King's Police Medal in the King's Birthday Honours for creating Ask for Angela.
Who's behind it
Backed by police, councils and the industry
Ask for Angela CIC runs the scheme on a not-for-profit basis, in partnership with Best Bar None, National Pubwatch and Purple Flag. Every penny it receives goes back into the scheme. The organisations it works with include:
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Merseyside Police
- Lancashire Constabulary
- Sussex Police
- Derbyshire Constabulary
- JD Wetherspoon
- Amber Taverns
- BII
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Drinks United
- Unite Students
- Sadler's Wells
- ABBA Voyage
- Burnley FC
- Plymouth Arena
From askforangela.co.uk, November 2026.
Good to know
Ask for Angela: your questions
Who can ask for Angela?
Anyone who feels unsafe, uncomfortable or vulnerable while out, for any reason.
What happens when I ask for Angela?
Trained staff respond calmly and take your lead. That could mean help to leave, support to stay, contacting security, or more help where it's needed.
Does every Cocktail Week venue take part?
Not yet. We're encouraging every venue to sign up, so check the Ask for Angela venue map before you head out.
Is it free for venues?
Yes. The set-up guide, team workbook, posters and National Venue Pledge are all free. Ask for Angela will also send printed posters free if you cover delivery.
Who runs Ask for Angela?
Ask for Angela CIC, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company set up in 2023, working with Best Bar None, National Pubwatch and Purple Flag.
What if it's an emergency?
Call 999 or 112.
Follow Ask for Angela
Help spread the word
Ask for Angela is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that works with venues, councils, police forces and festivals across the UK. Follow them and share the scheme with your friends.