Home Office guidance Tackling alcohol-fuelled disorder in town and city centres (available via the Together site) says this:
Best Bar None sets down a standard of operation for the management of licensed premises. Premises gaining accreditation under the scheme have been shown to exhibit higher standards of customer care and experience lower levels of crime and disorder.
Developed in Manchester as part of their City Centre Safe programme, it is now being rolled out across the UK as a key component of the Tackling Violent Crime Programme. It is increasingly used as a strategic option to strengthen relationships with industry stakeholders as the licensing laws change.
Best Bar None’s key principles include: • Use an intrusive, comprehensive but locally flexible accreditation process that makes use of multi-agency inspection visits to premises. • Issue visible wall plaques with the scheme’s distinctive design elements to create a ‘kite mark’ for safe and well-run licensed premises • Hold an annual awards dinner to recognise achievement and cement community links between enforcement personnel and licensees.
Central assistance is available in developing and implementing local schemes, which includes the training of Best Bar None assessors from all stakeholder groups. Involving these groups – for example the police, local authority, health professionals and residents - is an excellent way of energising partners to work.
Greater Manchester Police are now planning national Best Bar None awards, with regional winners competing for the top prize at the end of 2006 (see The Publican). Exisiting schemes include the following:
- Manchester Best Bar None (the original). City Safe info here via the Civic Trust.
- Croydon Best Bar None (the first one in London, now well established). Croydon Council info here.
- Leeds Best Bar None. Leeds Today story here.
- Responsible Hosts Awards Scheme, Ealing. Ealing Times story here.
- Essex Safer Bars Accreditation initiative, in association with Best Bar None. The Publican story here.
- Dundee Best Bar None. Evening Telegraph & Post story here.
- Nottingham Best Bar None. The Publican story here.
- West Yorkshire Best Bar None. West Yorkshire Police info here.
- Plymouth Best Bar None. Devon and Cornwall Police info here.
- Coventry Best Bar None. Coventry City Council info here.
- Liverpool Best Bar None. Mitchells & Butlers press release here.
- Weston-super-Mare Best Bar None. North Somerset Council info here.
- Bristol Best Bar None. Bristol City Council info here.
- York Best Bar None. Nouse story here.
- Newcastle-under-Lyme Best Bar None. Keele University story here.
- Newcastle Best Bar None. Northumbria Police info here.
- Glasgow Best Bar None. Evening Times story here.
- Lancashire Nightsafe Best Bar None. Lancs Police info here.
- Southampton Best Bar None. Southampton City Council info here.
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