Best Bar None - National UK Awards Scheme

Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, Tobias Ellwood MP delivered a commitment to support the licensed retail sector and small businesses in general with variety of measures, including a six month freeze on VAT for struggling pubs, at the Best Bar None (BBN) annual conference.

Over 200 people gathered at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester to hear an update on the latest developments with BBN. Tobias Ellwood was keynote speaker at the event, which also saw Durham BBN announced as the most innovative scheme for 2009.

Tobias congratulated delegates for taking the initiative and using BBN to drive up standards in the industry. He commented: “I am delighted to have participated in today’s BBN conference and show my support for this excellent initiative which grows from strength to strength each year.

“BBN is successfully motivating local businesses to tackle the challenges that arise from alcohol related behaviour in a way that legislation alone could never replicate. I hope to see further schemes established across the country and would welcome a continued dialogue with BBN as we continue to debate licensing proposals.”

Other speakers included Stephen Gould, Managing Director of Everards Brewery. He called for the tourism industry, the licensed retail industry and local authorities to work more closely together to develop a local vision for towns and cities which sets out where they want to be in the next 10 or 15 years. He also encouraged the licensed retail industry to stop creating new initiatives and make the most of those, such as BBN, that already exist and are proven to work.

BBN Chairman Lord Rupert Redesdale encouraged delegates to get actively involved in lobbying of their local MPs, saying that they shouldn’t leave it to the trade associations and institutions to target the Government on their behalf because many voices make a stronger impact.

Mark Burtonwood, Quality Assurance Manager for conference sponsor The Security Industry Authority, explained to delegates about the approved contractor scheme and the similarities it has with BBN. They both have a voluntary nature with a good partnership approach and share common goals of raising standards in order to contribute to protecting the public with a better quality of life.

In his closing remarks Neil Robertson, CEO of BBN, emphasised that BBN is the strongest platform to build on for the future to raise standards and share best practice throughout the industry. He stated recent evaluation results showed BBN had contributed to an average 30% reduction in alcohol related crime. Delegates heard throughout the conference from individual schemes quoting reduction statistics from 26% to 35%, which proved his point.

Neil urged scheme organisers to follow in the footsteps of Durham and be tough on poor performers by stripping them of their BBN awards if they flout the rules of the scheme.

Our photo shows L-R Neil Robertson, CEO of BBN, Sergeant Steve Norris from Durham Constabulary, Carol Feenan, Durham City Centre Co-ordinator and Mark Burtonwood, Quality Assurance Manager for event sponsor the Security Industry Association (SIA).

The other finalists in contention for the most innovative scheme award were Paul Williams from Doncaster BBN, Jane Eastaff from London Borough of Havering and Nigel Marston representing Somerset BBN.

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