Melton pubs and cafes pledge to protect LGBT+ customers from abuse

Ask For Clive has worked successfully across the UK as a means of ensuring people feel safe in a hospitality business, whatever their sexuality or gender identity.

It works similarly to a scheme called Ask For Angela, which has also been adopted by Melton pubs, and which supports individuals who who may feel unsafe, intimidated or vulnerable on a night out.

Victims approach the bar and simply ask for Angela to signify they are dealing with a threatening issue at that time.

Sharon Brown, landlady of Market Place pub The Grapes, launched Ask For Clive before the coronavirus lockdown and she is keen to promote it now businesses have been allowed to reopen.

She explained about the initiative to the Melton Times: “It works a bit like the Ask For Angela scheme, except it’s for people who are being targeted because they are gay.

“If someone is being targeted they go to the bar and ‘Ask For Clive’ - this is code for ‘I need help, I’m being picked on’.

“I always been worried about my boys as you see a lot of homophobic attacks so when I saw this scheme I jumped at the chance.”

A number of town hospitality venues have also accepted an invite to get involved, including The Boat, the Harboro Hotel, The Crown, The Black Swan, the Genny B, The Cutting Room, Half Moon and the Cherry Tree pubs plus Sit and Settle, Miss B’s Tearoom, 54A King Street cafe, Cafe Italia and La Perla eateries.

Sharon said she intends to widen the scheme to include rural pubs, cafes and restaurants across the borough.

Meanwhile, The Grapes plans to host the fourth Melton Gay Pride event on September 6, although the format of it will depend on the government’s coronavirus restrictions at that time.

Go to www.askforclive.com for more details on the Ask For Clive scheme.