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

Over 100 delegates met yesterday, in Ipswich at the 4^th Annual National Best Bar None Practitioners Conference generously sponsored by its four industry partners; Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, Diageo, Heineken UK and Molson Coors.

In the evening prior to the conference delegates enjoyed a  tour of the City’s top Best Bar None accredited nightspots hosted by BBN Ipswich - 2010 Best Bar None Most Innovative Scheme Winners.  The next day at the main event Lord Redesdale, Chairman of Best Bar None opened the conference, challenging attendees to learn more about how to get the most out of their schemes and expand the excellent work of Best Bar None schemes nationally.

Keynote speaker Gus Jaspert, Head of Drugs and Alcohol at the Home Office, followed sharing his support of Best Bar None and his plans to visit Best Bar None schemes nationally within his new role.

Embargo 59, a long-established nightclub in Chelsea has scooped the coveted Best Bar None ‘overall winner’ for 2011 at last night’s (Wednesday 9 November) annual awards ceremony at a packed Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.

Beating off stiff competition to the overall title, the club was also named ‘best nightclub’.  Embargo 59 has been under the operation of its current owners since 2006, and has taken part in Best Bar None since the scheme began in 2008.

Nottingham’s licensed premises will find out who has scooped the hard-earned Best Bar None Awards at the long-awaited ceremony which takes place later this month.

The Best Bar None Awards ceremony will be held at Alea Casino and is booked for Tuesday 15^th November.  The who’s who of Nottingham’s Licensed trade will be in attendance to see which operators have been recognised for their commitment to responsible management.

The Awards celebrate the licensed premises in the City Centre that have put in place additional policies and procedures to provide the safest possible environment to their visitors, and each venue attending on the night will have already been through a 2 hour comprehensive assessment to establish their eligibility for the Awards.

Neil Jennings from Gatecrasher, Birmingham has been crowned the second BBN National Winner at The House of Lords, Westminster on Thursday 06 October 2011.

The results of the award remained a secret until the BBN Parliamentary Reception. The six finalists were:-

Stephen Timpson, Deja Vu, Reading

Neil Jennings, Gatecrasher, Birmingham

Frank Kearney, K2 The Venue, Consett

Richard McIvor, Manana Manana, Doncaster

Colin Pollard, Shooting Star, Southampton

John Williams, Zee Bar, Chichester All finalists were overall winners from individual BBN schemes throughout the UK and would have shown during their individual assessments that they are operating at a high 

A delighted Neil was presented with the national award by Lord Henley, Home Office Minister of State and was witnessed and celebrated by a packed audience from all areas of the licensed retailing 

Neil added “I'm delighted that Gatecrasher has won the prestigious National Best Bar None Award, to win the regional award was a fantastic achievement and this surpasses even that, it is a recognition of the highest order and I would to thank the team at Gatecrasher for their continued hard work and commitment to ensuring that Gatecrasher provides a great safe night out and continues to be the Best Bar 

Neil now has the opportunity to use the status associated with winning to a maximum effect.