Monday 9 January 2023

A NATIONWIDE scheme aiming at preventing and reducing violence and harassment in venues – principally pubs, clubs and bars – has been put to the test locally in a covert police operation and found to be working well in all but two of the 112 venues visited. Ask for Angela is a nationwide scheme whereby if a person suspects they may be in danger in a venue, they can approach a member of staff and ask for “Angela”. 

The member of staff will then offer to take the person to a safe place and ask them what they want to do: leave the venue safely or be reunited with a friend. The person should be looked after until they have left safely or have been reunited with a friend. To test the scheme, plain-clothed officers visited 39 venues in Hull, 29 in the East Riding, 26 in North East Lincolnshire, and 18 in North Lincolnshire. 

Sgt Lee Newton told Beverley FM: “We know the Ask for Angela initiative has been successfully used to protect vulnerable people right across our region, including in Beverley.” And he stressed: “If you are worried about someone’s behaviour, most bars and pubs in the UK operate the Ask for Angela scheme. If you ask staff for Angela, they can take you somewhere safe and help you.”

BEVERLEY Folk Festival will return in 2023, with organisers announcing the dates as June 16 – 18 at venues across the town. Artists booked so far include The Magpies, Edwina Hayes, Katie Spencer, Pavey Ark and Emily Slade. 

STAFF working at two Beverley restaurants – Sumo at Flemingate and Soju by Sumo in Toll Gavel – are departing for Tenerife today for a four-day break, courtesy of owner Gary Chin. “It’s our way of saying thank-you to a truly committed team,” Gary told Beverley FM. Both restaurants reopen on Friday.