Building the right culture from the start: Pickled Toad’s commitment to Shout-Up!

Creating a safe and welcoming atmosphere in a venue depends on the everyday decisions staff make and the confidence they have to act when something doesn’t feel right. For Pickled Toad, becoming Shout-Up! certified was a practical step towards embedding that culture.

Pickled Toad is one of three ‘toad venues’ that gained their Shout-Up! certification in 2025 alongside Tipsy Toad and Tiny Toad. As part of its approach to staff training, the team at Pickled Toad completed Shout-Up! training ahead of opening, equipping staff with the knowledge and tools to recognise and respond to sexual harassment and to support customers appropriately.

Across the Toads, there is a shared focus on creating small, community-focused pubs where people feel comfortable and respected.

Sarah White, Manager, said:

“Having our venues Shout-Up! certified feels more important than ever for us. We are small pubs and what happens to one person impacts the whole place so we want to be sure every single person is comfortable in our venues.”

For Shout-Up! this kind of engagement reflects the value of working closely with venues that want to take responsibility for the environments they create.

Shout-Up! training supports staff to step in early, set boundaries and offer support, not only when serious incidents occur, but in the everyday interactions that define people’s experiences on a night out.

As more venues across Newcastle commit to Shout-Up! certification, examples like Pickled Toad show how meaningful change can start early, with teams choosing to place care, awareness and responsibility at the heart of how they operate.

Shout-Up! in Newcastle is funded by Newcastle City Council.