Weymouth’s pubs and clubs were celebrated at an awards ceremony on Thursday night for achieving the nationally recognised, Best Bar None (BBN) accreditation.
Those scoring the highest marks by judges were The George Bar and Grill, and Rendezvous who were awarded joint first place. The Closet came in second with William Henry in third place. Other establishments who gained the accreditation included Aura, Boombox, Royal Oak and The Nook.
Commenting on the win, Adrian Sundt, General Manager of The George Bar and Grill, said:
“We’re really chuffed to have won this award. It was hard work, but for a good reason, and it has helped bring our standards up to where we want to be.”
Keith Treggiden, General Manager of Rendezvous and joint winners, added:
“It’s an amazing achievement to be a national gold winner. We’re dedicated to making sure that everyone has a top night out, and a safe one, and this award is testament to our commitment to the Best Bar None scheme.”
The accreditation scheme, which was launched by the borough council, Dorset Police and Pubwatch earlier this year, is awarded to those establishments which have been able to demonstrate best practice in preventing crime associated with the night-time economy.
The Mayor of Weymouth and Portland, Cllr Christine James, who presented the awards to the winners, said:
“I am delighted to have taken part in celebrating the achievements of the local pubs and clubs in their efforts to help reduce crime in the town centre. They should all be really proud.
“A big thanks must also go to everyone involved in the Best Bar None and Pubwatch initiatives, as well as to the street pastors, who give much-needed support to licensed premises.”
Cllr Francis Drake, Community Safety Briefholder for Weymouth & Portland Council, added:
“The council has worked collaboratively with its partners to help raise awareness of the Best Bar None scheme and it’s really encouraging to see the premises who have worked hard to gain this accreditation.”
The private event was held at Yates on St Thomas Street and included speeches from Dorset Police and Mick McDonnell, National Coordinator of Best Bar None.
Mick McDonnell, National Coordinator for Best Bar None, said:
“It gives me great pleasure to support this new Best Bar None Scheme and to join the police and council in recognising and rewarding all of those venues who have gone above and beyond what is required of them to gain Best Bar None accreditation.”
The pubs/clubs were graded in four different areas: prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, protection of children from harm and training.
Rachel Goodwin, Deputy Neighbourhood Inspector at Dorset Police, said:
“The Best Bar None scheme has been introduced to Weymouth as a positive means to promote the town as a safe and vibrant place to visit.
“This is a team effort with valuable contributions from the private industry involved, public sector agencies and also the volunteers, such as the street pastors, who all work so hard to achieve the common goal.”
Notes to Editors
BBN is a nationally recognised scheme aimed at reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder in towns by building a positive relationship between the licensed trade, police and local authorities. There are many benefits of the scheme, both for trade and the general public, most notably, creating a safer environment. By sharing good practice, the scheme also highlights how operating more responsibly can increase the profitability of an individual business and make a certain area more appealing to customers.
