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

The Best Bar None Awards scheme was developed by the Manchester City Centre Safe project as part of its remit to address alcohol related crime. Work in this area began following findings that indicated a significantly high proportion of crime was directly or indirectly attached to licensed premises with poor management standards.

It was felt that in order for progress to be made in delivering a safer night time economy, a new consensual approach was required to enhance and complement traditional law enforcement activity. The objective of this approach was to provide an incentive for the operators of licensed premises to improve their standards of operation to the level of a commonly agreed national benchmark. A carrot of reward to counterbalance the stick of enforcement.

Since the original scheme in Manchester other local authorities have adopted the Best Bar None scheme as a way of improving the night time experience in their town centres.