Pubs and clubs bid to be Best Bar None

Best Bar None 2008 Winners Mango

As part of the Rochdale Town Centre Business Awards 2009, Rochdale Town Centre Management are running the Best Bar None scheme to judge the bars, clubs and pubs in the town centre.

Bar 5, The Baum, Blue Lounge, Honey, Kandy Club, Koko, Mango, Pacific, The Regal Moon and The Roebuck have all applied to be a part of the Rochdale Best Bar None Scheme 2009.

Each of the venues received an application form, which addresses a wide range of issues that well managed premises should be aware of and be addressing.

Following the application process all premises were then visited by accredited assessors who undertook a more in-depth assessment of the premises.

Assessors were representatives from Town Centre Management, GMP, Rochdale Borough Council Licensing, Rochdale Borough Council Community Safety and the Fire Service.

One of the licensees (who shall remain anonymous!) said of the experience: “The day that our assessors came to visit was incredibly nerve-wracking; the whole process is so intense.

"I had to sit through two hours of what seemed like hundreds of questions, and had to provide evidence of every practice and procedure that we have in our venue. This was everything from door staff records, staff training records, fire evacuation procedures and so on.

"After this, they took a tour round the venue and in the back of house, looking for fire extinguishers, public notices, CCTV and much much more.”

The venues that fulfil all the Best Bar None criteria will be accredited and given a plaque to display outside the venue. This will reassure customers that they are entering safe and responsible premises.

Additionally, the premises will be compared and judged, and there will be three award categories at the Town Centre Business Awards next month; Best Bar None (Bar Category) and Best Bar None (Bar/Club) Category sponsored by Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership and Best Bar None - Best Overall sponsored by Rochdale Borough Council Licensing.

Jeanette Staley, Community Safety Manager at Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership said: “A safe night time economy is a priority for the Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership. We recognise the hard work undertaken by the management of the night time venues to make their premises safe and enjoyable. The partnership is pleased to sponsor the award and look forward to working with the venues in the future.”

Andy Glover at Rochdale Borough Council Licensing said: “As an enforcement agency we are usually seen as the people who want to prevent businesses from doing things, however working together with town centre management to deliver Best Bar None has enabled us to work effectively to raise standards and to help to improve the evening economy as such we are extremely proud to sponsor the Best Bar None Award.”

The judging panel is made up of Roger Ellis, Chief Executive of Rochdale Borough Council, Chief Superintendent John O’Hare of GMP and Councillor Ted Flynn, Councillor for Crime and Disorder. They will award a winner and runner-up for each of the categories.

Best Bar None schemes, which are run all over the country, provide an incentive for the operators of licensed premises to improve their standards of operation to the level of a commonly agreed national benchmark.

It provides an opportunity for licensees to demonstrate to official agencies how well they manage their own businesses.

The standards outlined by Best Bar None also provide a common reference point for community officers to work with their local pubs and clubs in tackling crime and disorder issues.