Best Bar None - the UK's national awards scheme for best practice in the licensed trade

The Best Bar None scheme set up to reward licensed premises for good practice in Ipswich and make the town centre safer has been shortlisted for a top award, organisers announced today.

 Best Bar None Ipswich, which was launched in September by Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk Constabulary and Ipswich Central on behalf of the Local Strategic Partnership, has been chosen as one of four finalists for the national 'Most Innovative Scheme' Award.

Within 24 hours of the launch over 15% of the licensed trade in Ipswich signed up to join Best Bar None. That continues to grow, said Caroline Elias, Ipswich Best Bar None Officer. “Such has been the interest shown by pubs and clubs, social clubs and hotels that we have had to extend the period for applications to the end of November. We are hoping to have around 40 premises signed up by then.”

Best Bar None Ipswich is sponsored by Ipswich Town Football Club and Hawk Express Cabs Ltd. The “Safer Night Out” message is also being marketed through www.ipswichbestbarnone.co.uk and by links with University Campus Suffolk and the Town Pastors and through DVDs aimed at businesses in the licensed trade.

 An awards night is planned for the spring, with local traders competing for a range of titles, including “Best Family Pub”.

 There are around 100 Best Bar None schemes in operation across the UK and Ipswich's rivals for the top award are all well-established - Doncaster, Plymouth and Ceredigion. The winner will be announced on 24th November.

 The shortlisting was welcomed by Councillor Nadia Cenci, Ipswich Borough Council's Community Safety portfolio-holder. She said: "Best Bar None Ipswich has quickly got off the ground and is proving a great success. This partnership working will help us make a difference to the town centre, making it safer for residents and visitors."

 Superintendent David Skevington, of Suffolk Police, said: “This nomination is a fantastic achievement and everyone linked to Best Bar None in Ipswich is to be congratulated. Best Bar None has been launched to make Ipswich safe. Those involved take huge pride in their work to make Suffolk's county town safer for everyone. To receive this nomination at such an early stage shows how right Best Bar None is for Ipswich as well as the strengths and skills of the innovative team who have got it off to a great start.”

 Paul Clement, Executive Director of Ipswich Central, said: "To be in the final four out of 100 schemes nationwide is an amazing achievement for Ipswich. It gives us a great stepping stone from which to take the scheme to the next level when the accredited premises are chosen in March. We have a great array of excellent licensed premises within the town centre and Ipswich as a whole and the Best Bar None scheme is a fantastic way to reward best practice and focus visitor’s attention on the positives of our evening economy.”