| Winners of this year’s Havering Nightlife Awards were announced at a glitzy ceremony last night. | | Print | |
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The awards, which attracted more than 32,000 votes from the public, were handed out by Licensing Minister Gerry Sutcliff at Liquid & Envy nightclub, Romford. Swing band the British Rat Pack entertained the 300 guests before the winners were announced. Judges comprising the local police, fire brigade and Council officers responsible for Licensing and Trading Standards decided the main three awards. Best Pub went to The Harrow * for the second year running. Best Bar was won by Yates and Best Club went to the Opium Lounge. Eight other categories were decided by a public vote and Havering residents voted in their thousands. Cranham Tandoori scooped three awards - Best Restaurant, Best Family Venue and Best Customer Service. Around one in five residents aged over 18 took cast their vote this year * four times as many as last year when 8,000 people voted. The glass trophies presented to the winners had been designed and made by Havering College of Further and Higher Education student Elizabeth Achillea. The awards, now in their third year, recognise businesses which offer a welcoming and safe night time environment through good management and an active commitment to discourage antisocial behaviour. Havering Council won a Beacon Award in the After Dark category earlier this year for its excellence in managing Romford’s night time economy. Cllr Peter Gardner, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: "The fact that more than 32,000 residents voted this year shows how much customers enjoy visiting licensed premises in Havering and that they care about how well they are run. "We have been working very closely with pubs, clubs and bars to make a night out in Havering safer and more pleasurable."
Notes to Editors: Finalists for Havering Night Life Awards 2009: Best Pub: The Harrow
Best Bar: Yates Best Club: Opium Lounge Best Night Time Venue: Opium Lounge Best After Work Venue: Bentleys Best DJ Team: Opium Lounge
Best Live Act Venue: The Fatling and Firkin Best Restaurant: Cranham Tandoori Family Venue: Cranham Tandoori Best Customer Service: Cranham Tandoori Heart of the Community Award: Queen’s Theatre
Outstanding Individual Contribution to the night time economy: Kate Harrison, Hogshead, Hornchurch Outstanding Contribution to the night time economy * Special Recognition Award: Romford United Services Social Club |
