Best Bar None 2011

The Best Bar None Awards Scheme, which is sponsored by Diageo, is an integral part of the Safer Areas Initiatives within Scotland.

Background

The Best Bar None Scotland scheme has now been running in Scotland since 2005 and has grown in popularity with many Scottish cities and towns operating the scheme as an example of good practice.

The scheme is sponsored by the Scottish Government and Diageo and is open to all pubs, bars and night-clubs in the area. It focuses on public safety and customer care and offers each venue an opportunity to demonstrate that it is focused on important issues such as:

Prevention of Crime and Disorder

Securing Public Safety

Prevention of Public Nuisance

Protecting and Improving Public Health

Protection of children from harm

The Fife ‘Best Bar None’ Award Scheme is a partnership project involving Fife Constabulary, Fife Fire & Rescue, Fife Drug & Alcohol Action Team, Environmental Services, Scottish Licensed Trade and BEDA Scotland. The scheme started in 2006 in Fife and was developed to encourage a higher standard of management of licensed premises and encouraging the sharing of best practice.

The scheme is open to all Pubs, Bars, and Nightclubs in Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Leven, Cupar, St Andrews, Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Inverkeithing, Rosyth & Anstruther town centres. There are three levels of award, Accredited, Silver and Gold.

Benefits of the scheme

 The scheme itself becomes stronger as more venues become involved and brings many potential benefits to their business:

• It gives them a chance to show their staff and customers that their venue promotes a SAFE AND SECURE environment to socialise.
• It increases the chances in seeing a REDUCTION IN CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME in the venue by following best practice guidelines
• It IMPROVES COMMUNICATION WITH THE POLICE AND LICENSING BOARD so that there is a greater understanding of issues on all sides
• It provides an opportunity to have an inspection carried out in the venue by a evaluator to IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICE AND GET ADVICE ON A RANGE OF ISSUES
• It gives a chance to demonstrate commitment to a CLEANER, SAFER and BETTER TOWN CENTRE
• It gives licensees access to PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, CRIME REDUCTION AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY ISSUES for management and staff, and
• Most importantly, it gives the opportunity, through the application process, to focus on the key elements of the new Licensing Bill in PREPARATION FOR WHEN PREMISES WILL NEED TO SUBMIT AN OPERATING PLAN demonstrating how they will address PREVENTION OF CRIME AND DISORDER, PUBLIC SAFETY, PROMOTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, PREVENTION OF PUBLIC NUISANCE and PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM HARM.

A fundamental point underpinning the whole assessment is to remember that everything should be evidenced in some way.  It is crucial to the credibility of the process that no points should be awarded without the necessary evidence.  If in doubt the point should not be given.