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Pubs and clubs in Shropshire have received top awards under the Home Office backed Best Bar None initiative for achieving all-round high standards.
Seven licensed premises were presented with awards at Shropshire’s Best Bar None 2009 awards ceremony at the Prostar soccer stadium in Shrewsbury last night (Jan 18).
The overall Gold Award winner was the Jewel of the Severn pub in Bridgnorth’s High Street. It was presented by Robert Humphreys, vice chair of the national Best Bar None scheme to the Jewel’s manager Daniel Davey.
Mr Davey and his partner Kelly Harris have managed the Wetherspoons pub for the past five years.
Winners and runners-up in the three categories were:-
- Community pub – The Bradford Arms, Llanymynech run by Robert Hedley and The Grapes, Bicton Heath run by Val Driscoll.
- Best bar - Jewel of the Severn, Bridgnorth and the Wheatsheaf, High Street, Shrewsbury run by Glenda Pugh.
- Best nightclub – Gibsons in Oswestry run by former Shrewsbury Town player Carleton Leonard and C21/Spirit from Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury.
Best Bar None works with pubs, nightclubs and other licensed premises in maintaining high standards, while at the same time promoting positive measures to tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour and crime caused by excessive drinking.
.jpg "Shropshire BBN") It was launched in Shropshire last March and now has more than 30 premises on board which have been examined by assessors from the police, local authority, private sector and councillors. Seventeen premises achieved the highest possible assessment – a silver award – going forward to be judged for the top Gold Award.
Mr Humphreys, who presented framed certificates to the category winners and runners-up, said Best Bar None had originally been launched by Greater Manchester Police as an alternative approach to tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder.
“It’s about doing things a bit better and sharing that commitment. I commend you for taking the initiative in getting the project off the ground in Shropshire. There are about 95 schemes now operating across the country, each slightly different, tailored to the circumstances where it operates but sharing common values and common purposes.”
Shropshire’s Licensing Officer, Mr Tony Mantle, one of the driving forces behind the scheme, told members: “All the assessors were absolutely impressed with the work that you do and the amount of time and effort you put in to make your operation safe and successful.
“The aim of the scheme is to raise standards in the licensed sector and we are confident it has contributed to that. It is designed to reduce alcohol-related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour while at the same time, raising awareness and standards across the trade.
“It really offers a ‘win, win’ situation for everyone involved. The scheme offers operators of licensed outlets a free health check in their own procedures and rewards them when they meet the criteria. Such matters as the use of door staff, zero-tolerance to drugs and drunkenness, fire safety procedures, noise attenuation and a whole host of other points, are assessed.”
He announced there was sufficient funding to keep Best Bar None running in Shropshire for at least another three years and a full-time co-ordinator would shortly be appointed to work with the police and licensees in administering the 2010 scheme, building on the success of its first year.
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