Raising the bar in Mansfield pubs - Best Bar None accreditation scheme to be introduced in the town

The Best Bar None accreditation scheme which will ‘raise the bar’ for public safety and promote responsible management in licensed premises is being funded for the next three years by Nottinghamshire County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire.

Nationally, where best bar none schemes are already established, there has been a dramatic reduction in anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence, enhancing the customer experience and creating a safer environment.

Paddy Tipping, Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “I want people to have a safe and enjoyable night out wherever they are in Nottinghamshire and I also want to see alcohol-related crime reduce. I think this scheme will help achieve both those aims.

“It’s a win-win situation, as the pubs and clubs accredited to the scheme are likely to see an increase in trade from customers who are confident that they can enjoy themselves in safe surroundings.”

Jonathan Edwards, owner of popular town centre spots andwhynot and Late Lounge, said Mansfield Association of Licensed Venues(MALV) welcomed the scheme. He said: “We fully support Best Bar None scheme and it will be great for Mansfield to be recognised in the whole of Nottingham for the good work we have previously done in the town.

“It will give customers the opportunity to see who are the good operators and highlight the worse ones.

“We have entered all our premises.”

He said Mansfield bars had already addressed a lot of the issues raised by the scheme and anti social behaviour incidents are dropping year on year .

He said: “The Best Bar None will help put to rest the bad reputation we continue to have to fight off.

“It will be good for the night time economy. At the last MALV meeting we had a really good response from other licensees.

“We hope as many as possible get on board to support it.”

Acreditation will provide reassurance to customers that they are an approved venue and give pubs and clubs will have the opportunity to win one of a number of awards, such as best village pub, best bar and best sports club.

Jono Edwards added: “We will be competing with pubs from Nottingham City Centre, Worksop and Retford and prove a lot of bars in Mansfield stack up against them.”

To be awarded a Best Bar None accreditation, all premises are visited by trained, impartial assessors who not only look at core standards, but also note where premises have gone the extra mile to ensure customer safety and comfort. This could anything from a well-managed CCTV system and measures to crackdown on anti-social behaviour drug and alcohol misuse to consulting neighbours over events, keeping noise at reasonable levels and even installing handbag hooks under tables.

A well as making premises safer, the scheme can be used as a way to improve customer service and promote the area as being well managed and safe. There will be an awards night in 2015 and the public will have the chance to vote for their favourite premises.

Cuncillor Glynn Gilfoyle, Chairman of Community Safety Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Many pubs and clubs across the county already do some fantastic work to promote a safe, enjoyable and well-managed environment for their customers. Best Bar None is a nationally recognised scheme which gives us the opportunity to recognise that fantastic work, whilst reassuring customers that they are the best possible hands when they go out to enjoy themselves.

“For those venues that don’t currently meet high standards, Best Bar None gives them a benchmark to aspire to and the food for thought that they face a loss of trade and added scrutiny unless they improve.”