PUNTERS concerned for their safety during a night out in Colchester will be offered enhanced support as part of a pioneering scheme.
Leading figures among the city’s night time economy have been trained to follow the Ask for Angela initiative and how to respond to those asking for help.
The scheme acts as a subtle code for someone seeking assistance within a pub, club or bar whereby they approach a member of staff and ask for Angela.
City bosses behind a successful £200,000 bid for the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund have now stated the ask for Angela concept is at the forefront of their action.
Those working in Colchester should now know how to react and deliver support tailored to their venues after being educated on the initiative via a series of workbooks.
Now trained, they have been given a lapel pin showing they are trained to respond to any requests or concerns raised by customers.
READ MORE >> Pictures show dramatic scene as school coach crashes into tree on roundabout
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex said the move comes as part of a wider £500,000 investment to reduce crime and the fear of it in Colchester.
“Safety is a key priority for everyone involved with leisure businesses and night-time economy, whether a patron, employee, or business owner,” he said.
“Safety is something that we all need to focus on and this scheme is a great way for businesses and partners to work together to provide help when people feel unsafe and reduce the risk of people becoming the victims of crime.”
The new campaign is in addition to Our Colchester Business Improvement District’s commitment to support night time and leisure businesses in the city centre.
Nights of action alongside the police, attending the Pubwatch committee and focused marketing are some of the moves the BID has made.
BID Manager Sam Good said: “We’re proud to be working with key stakeholders and industry experts to support Colchester’s’ night time economy businesses.
“The work produced from this partnership aims at supporting venues to help safeguard their visitors and ensure all visitors to Colchester city centre have a safe and enjoyable time.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here